Erased and Rewritten
by Simonana
Summary: AU, Gaster's experiment had some interesting side effect. In a way it had failed and yet in another way it didnt But how ever you look at the results one thing is clear: This is Gaster's story.
1. Chapter 1

AN Well I got this idea when I was listening to various songs, and maybe partially blaming MatPat as well... Either way my brain cooked this up and forced me to start writing it and then the idea held me hostage until I finished it typing. This is most likely going to stay a one shot. There are small chances for drabbles, added from different perspectives or maybe a interesting scene that follows. So enjoy this AU world where Gaster ended up laying the groundwork so his king wish for peace.

Inspiration for a part of this story:

Undyne the Undying – Undertale parody animation - (Unusualbox)

EDIT Thank you for the reviews, and as suggested I will break up the story in chapters for a easier read.

* * *

This is Gaster story.

* * *

"Erased from existence. That was the fate they presumed befallen upon him. Truthfully they were not wrong, they simply were not right either. That was only half of the story. Erased and rewritten. That was the whole story.

* * *

White shards, nearly shining on their own. That was the last and first memory he possessed.

It came in a flash, shattering into thousands of white shards about to scatter, but they refused. The sea of red determination drowned his vision.

He knew there was something important with the heart shapes he kept drawing, he must have been asked about them. Pointing to a green one as proof, he assumed he was working on that one when he gave an answer, maybe it was the first time it came to him. In the end he doesnt remember anything that lead to it, never had. He only had the proof of red splatters over the old paper with a green heart and white flipped hearts, before his first memory starts.

A flash of the broken glass bottle raised high up, it white shards shining in the light of the room, he refused. The sea of red drowned his vision. He was determined, he refused to scatter. He refused to yield.

Next memories in chronological order he possessed came from a hospital. The people fussing around him. So typical, one little thing blows up in his face and they do not leave him alone. They all worry too much about him. Not bothering to open his eyes, feeling too tired for such a feat he spoke aloud that he was fine... Though he wondered in what bed he was laying. He felt so small in it. How truly peculiar...

The following memories were all over only the fact they all played out in the same place helping him put a time period to them. Sometimes he was positive he was a prisoner of war, warning them that majesty will not stand for it. In others he was asking about his dad. Pleading with the nurses that his dad wasnt a bad man. That he believed that everyone can be good. That he must have done something really wrong to make his dad angry to hurt him. He would try to explain to the nurses that he was a monster, so which human wouldnt hurt him. That made the nurses angry, but they didnt hit him for it.

Before he was let out the hospital into his foster home, he learned to not say all the things on his mind aloud. Especially not to call himself a monster, even if that felt like a fact to him regardless of which type of memory he experienced. The therapist a gentle and kind woman had always those sad eyes when looking at him. She reminded him of a dear friend and white fur... She helped him a lot to make the difference between his fantasy world he made up to protect himself from his dad abuse and the real world. He played along, then he started believing it.

The scars above his one eye and under the other would forever stay a reminder of his first memory. But they were no longer alone, he had a lot of happy memories with his new family. New mom and new dad were were truly happy to give him New Home...no. A Newer Home, yes... He was a genius and they supported him in his curiosity and studies. Everything was so easy to learn, it felt nearly like he was reminding himself of things he already knew.

He was fourteen and way ahead in everything science related, but horrible falling in the department of language and communication skills. Socialization should help, it was decided without his input. Dont talk with you hands, use your words, finish your sentences. All those things were told to him as he was driven to his first halloween party. He would have much rather spend the night tinkering and making all the electrical apparatus around the house more energy efficient. Resources were limited, or not so much but it was still greener to do it.

Children in costumes, even he was put into one. As he showed zero interest in playing dress up, his father picked his outfit out. He was wearing a doctor costume... He admitted he liked the white coat. He looked cool in it, and of course he would be the greatest around. Still there was a somewhat older kid dressed in a poor skeleton outfit that drawn his gaze. He was talking to a girl in a pink queen outfit.

"...sorry, but its boning me death!" A pun. He stepped closer to them.

"Dave, that was horrible, are you even trying?" He stepped closer, again.

"Fine, it was bad, but I am bone tired today." The boy responded and the girl rolled her eyes, she was about to leave. She stopped when she noticed him staring at them. The next words that came out his mount were the clearest spoken words in years.

"Tibia honest, he tickled my funny bone." The girl narrowed her eyes and raising her finger in an i will explain to you fashion.

"Its 'to be' honest, not tibi or whatever you said there. " He blinked at the young girl, once more speaking confident and with patients and to the complete shock of his parents absolutely clear.

"In human anatomy the tibia is the second largest bone next to the femur. As in other vertebrates the tibia is one of two bones in the lower leg, the other being the fibula, and is a component of the knee and ankle joints. Hence the pun of 'to be' being replaced with tibia as it fits the skeleton pun theme."

Both kids blinked and the boy grinned at him. "That was cleaver, whats your name? I am Dave, dressed as skeleton!"

"Dr. Gaster." He said those words alluding to his costume. Yet as he said them the familiarity was mind numbing. He said them countless of times, he heard them countless of times. It wasnt because of his name. It was the familiarity of the title accompanying the name. Belonging together... Why would that be like that? It didnt make sense and yet it did. It was the start of his self questioning. When you love solving puzzles and then suddenly realize that you are a puzzle yourself... well you try to solve yourself.

He was sixteen sitting in front of the mirror in his bedroom. back leaning against the foot of the bed. How often did he went through his life trying to hunt down his earliest memories, trying to figure it all out. Replaying all things that didnt make sense. Trying to pinpoint the moments his beliefs didnt match up with things around him. His childhood drawings all neatly sorted in a box. They helped quite a bit, but it wasnt enough. He didnt know what puzzle pieces he was searching for, so he didnt know where to search.

Meditation.

The next logical step, for when the outside sources were lacking turn to the souls.

Slowly he breathed, turning back the clock to when he was only three years old. He imagined himself drawing on the floor. Imagined drawing those heart shapes. He took a deep breath holding the mental image and then he tried to let go of the control. This was the hardest step. He tended to be so determined to make it, that it turned to be impossible to move. Tensing up and losing the image completely.

Today was different, last night he talked to a pensioned nurse who took care of him when he was in hospital. After some charming and careful listening to her troubles she told him how he behaved back then. He was confused. Sounding like a grown man filled with self hate at times, and sometimes like a lost child he was.

Inside his mind he sat down on the floor beside the young self who was drawing.

"...I am a monster." He spoke the words fast like he was ripping off a band aid, and instantly Gaster was filled with guilt. His parents would be hurt to hear him say those things about himself, his friends would tell him he wasnt. Everyone would tell him not to hate himself, not to look down at himself like that... The nurse told him he was saying those words as a young child often, again and again until he didnt. Back then he didnt feel guilty, they resonated like a fact. So he repeated them again, and again, and again. Just like he would repeat the numbers of pi when bored.

The child beside him looked up at him and he stopped mid word.

Silence settled.

The older one too scared to do anything to ruin the moment.

The young one smirking with a knowing gaze. A look in the eyes that was so much older than anything the older saw. The child picked a brush and pushed it into the bucket with white color. They were crayons before. The kid opened his hand in a silent demand for his own. So Gaster obligated.

The kid was drawing slowly on his skin, and with nothing else to do he questioned. "What do the hearts mean?"

What he didnt await was a answer from the child. "You know."

True, he did...once?  
"I fear I forgot it then."

"Souls."

"Ah, its a metaphor I see."

The kid meet his curious gaze with his own. Giving him a look that said better dont be a idiot, then any words ever could. He moved his hand signalizing his confusion about those being literal souls. The kid looked back down to his work.

"Thats how they look."

"Soul... It is at best a concept. Believing every being possessing one, but there was never proof for it."

His other hand was taken to be drawn on. "Just need the right type of spectrograph."

"Seeing a soul... fine. Then why are some on the head and some are filled with color."

"Duh, Human souls point down in most cases, and monster souls point up." The child explained pointing to the white point up soul. "Love, mercy, and compassion compose a monster's soul. Thats why they are white." The child moved away from the older self and grinned. Gaster had so many question and he was aware that logically this wasnt giving him anything but... in the same part of his brain that was governed by logic and facts he was being told those were well known facts. Like the numbers of pi.

His vision blurred around the edges and he felt himself starting to tense up. He will lose this moment. He looked down at what the kid had drawn on the back of his hands and his breath hitched. Skeletal hands following his own bones, each hand having a gaping black hole in the middle.

The world fall apart, his mind was racing, his breathing labored, he was in pain. No he was melting the bones were melting. Word pain wasnt exactly covering it any longer.

"...you are anything but fine! the dosage was too high. we are losing you! you will melt...i..."

He knew that voice well. It was too hard to look up from his melting hands, how intruding the edges of what melted has started to dust. He should be more worried, maybe fearful, but he only felt disappointed. It will fail. Failure.

"DTE." He knew that voice as well.

"what? no... you are right. go prepare it, it may work... come on use some of that stuff in you and stay here. we are going to..." He was sure he nodded, understanding the idea, it could work. There was still hope. He wore black slacks, his mind noted as he was placed to lay down. He knew the process was about to become more painful, he weakly chuckled. That word was really fast losing all its meaning ... White shattered into pieces... but they refused... Red drowned his very being.

"Son!" He breathed in like he spent days without oxygen. His foster mother was bowed over him. Her face knitted with worry.

He blinked, wasnt he just in the labs? His confusion must have shown on his face as she answered him.

"I came home from shopping and heard you screaming. You were on the floor shaking and spawning... Son what happened?" Her voice all but desperate.

"'m fine."

He spoke on instincts raising his hand to assist with the meaning and suddenly finding the sight of it extremely surprising. It had skin and were those muscles under the skin atop of his bones. He flexed the fingers experimentally.

It looked so human.

Why was that surprising, again?

He blinked a few more times, realizing he toned out his mother. "Sorry, I think I had a nightmare. " His fingers trailed up the outgrown scar from his youngest days. Somehow he awaited to feel the edges of the bone, not the scarred skin. How illogical...The scars, a courtesy of his biological father cracking his skull open with a bottle and many kicks. The motion didnt went unnoticed by his mother.

"Gaster, my son maybe ... maybe its time to put your childhood behind you and move on. We never could hide anything from you and...and I thought being honest and letting you find the truth out was for the best... " He stared at her not moving a muscle. She collected her resolve, and Gaster could have sworn for the briefest of moments he saw the gently green become tinted with determined red.

"But what enough is enough. If this is affecting you like this. Then its time to stop. Please, for our sake at the very least."

He nodded, it was not enough.

"Promise me you will stop." He winced he only wanted to make promises he was sure he could keep. He was not in a state of mind to properly function. He couldnt explain what he was actually trying to do with out worrying her further by saying he was a monster. Yet, he just received a puzzle piece, his last memory. He was positive all of that was real...somehow he knew it. No amount of imagination could come up with that amount of pain, having your own soul break and splinter apart. Yourself falling apart inside your own creation...Own creation? He had to write that prasher down as well.

"...I promise I will stop doing this." He spoke concentrating on the meditation. Promising he would not do meditation again. He would give up one tool, he will just build or create another way to figure out the mystery that he is. Somewhere in the look he was given he knew his foster mother was aware he spinned the words. Still she accepted them as good enough.

The following two days he wasnt left alone. He allowed them to pumpere him and give him love, thankful for their care. In the third night he found himself alone in the kitchen. There was something that bothered him. The holes he saw in the skeleton hands. The lack of bones would make it impossible to move some of his fingers. So finding out how he could move his fingers was the most logical way to obtain proof that he wasnt mad... He needed tangible proof. Proof other people would be able to see.

A knife found its way in his hand, and briefly he wondered if he should simple cut his hand open so he could inspect his hand bones.

Maybe...

He could be careful...

He knew his hands were claim enough for operation...

Then he laughed dropping the knife back into the sink. The laugh sounding like an echo in his ears. How utterly stupid that idea was. He was a genius, he would simply build a x-ray scanner to inspect his bone structure and if push comes to shove, he could with a needle size instrument take a probe of his bone. Would hurt but it would run a lot less risk of losing his precious hand motorics.

The following weeks he was doing what he could do best, researching. Looking up all he could find about souls, x-rays and spectrograph machines. He made a x-ray for science fair, he won the first prize. That was irrelevant, what was relevant is that it showed two circular ...something exactly where the holes were supposed to be. Instead there was, bone replacement? Imitations? More research will be needed. So far he could tell that there was scar tissue and something see through filling up the missing bone structure. This material allowed for his hands to perfectly work.

He pulled a girl from his class in a empty classroom.

She looked at him curiously as he activated his scanner.

He put his both hands under it.

The moment of truth. If she wasnt seeing this... then he was trap in hallutions, and being very, very ill.

He was so scared, he wanted to sleep.

He felt determined as he asked the girl what was she seeing.

Maria from his class could see it too.

He was not mad.

He was not hallucinating.

He wasnt mentally unstable.

He spun a lie about his childhood. Blaming the wounds on his biological father. She believed him.  
That raised his spirit, with renewed vigor he poured himself into researching souls. Half a year passed and he didnt made any progress, it wasnt helping that he had to pick a uni as well and keep up with social interaction so he would not worry his foster parents.

His birthday rolled in and he had to attend his own party. That was the last thing he wanted to do. Still he obligated and made sure he was a pleasant company to be around. Though he was passive.

The club they were in was not too loud, the drinks were on the strong side and few friends that were sitting around him were more or less involved into gossiping. Thought he found the information useless he couldnt not file it away for potential use later on.

"Gas did your cat die? You are staring off into the far lands."

"Oh no, I was just trying to wrap my head around why would Lynda ever go back with him? "

And he derailed the attention away from himself. He was quite pleased with himself. Except he didnt account for Dave to smirk and bring it full circle back to him. "Gas, you should know that birthday are good for you."

There was the dramatic pause, the pause Dave copied from his own way of telling jokes and puns. He was a good pun student. He tilted his head in a questioning way, knowing he was biting the hook but unable to resist.

"Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest!" Dave concluded not hitting the best delivery but it was still enough to make Gaster burst out laughing, that was a good one. His mind settling back into the now.

"Well now that the birthday kid joined us with his mind beside granting us his physical presence its presents time!" Maria clapped winking and giving him a poorly wrapped something that was soft. He opened it and found a orange turtleneck sweater.

"To add some color to your black and white wardrobe." The color filled him with warmth. He could have sworn someone loved this shade of orange, he took a deep breath. This was not the place or the time. "I wear purple as well." He attempted to defend himself.  
"Owning one purple scarf doesnt fit the bill." Maria answered as if she was awaiting that defense. "I could help you put it on." She winked at him.

"T-thank you." He said and the pleased expression on Maria face told him that his face must be red, she was more than happy. Next came a book filled with puns, a box with some tools that was going to be useful. Last was Dave.

"What you didnt assist in the pun book?" Gaster questioned his friend on the other side of the table.

"Well I recommended it but I stumbled over something. I know you. So I searched for the most obscure book that you may not got a chance to read yet. Guess what, I found it. My grandpa made me clean out his attic while he was talking about his childhood mountain on which he played. You know how he gets all nostalgic." Dave pulled an old hardcover book out his backpack. It picked his interest.

"Either way, this is it. So happy birthday to you gasball." Gaster tentatively received the book in his hands. A book about myths, not exactly what he hopped for with that build up. Of course Dave couldnt possible know him, he didnt know himself for that matter. Still he had hoped... It started because of Dave, every day he hoped maybe his friend would do something to give him another puzzle piece. He didnt.

"Great job Dave now he will be MIA for the rest of the evening." Maria complained as he scanned the indexes page. He would check it only, he wanted to actually dance with her, she was such a nice person to him. Maybe even do something normal like get a birthday kiss... His train of thoughts just collided with the side of a mountain. An world shattering explosion accompanying it.

His eyes became glued to three words. Mount Ebott myth. It was messily two pages long. And probably the least important story in the whole book. To him it meant too many things. He could feel emotion bubble up too many to handle. Yet, fingers claim and precise opened the page with the myth and read it slowly. Methodically. Word for word, memorising everything it gave. It didnt matter where he was anymore, it didnt matter who was around him. Only what mattered were the words.

A war. Flashes of dust, blood and a tall figures back, taller and bigger than him. There was a cape. Sealed underground. Home, New Home. Legends say that those who climb the mountain never return. Souls.

"Gas!" He jumped staring at his two friends, the others already left. "We know you are a bookworm, but seriously, you are reading for the last hour that thing like its a bible or something. Cant be that good."

"What can I say it gave my imagination wings." Gaster chuckled hugging the book and sweater close to his chest. As if he would lose them if he dare to let go of it. He was barely hanging onto the present. He didnt want to worry anyone. They insisted to walk him home and he let them. Good nights were spoken and he left to his room telling his foster mom that he was bone tired.

The door closed behind him and he dropped on the bed. A puzzle piece. He got a puzzle piece. A big one from the feel of it. His hands were shaking and tears were falling down his didnt understand why. Why was his chest hurting? Keeping his promise and not even attempting to meditate on the flashes he had. He was tempted really bad. He took out a notebook.

Opening it he was meet with the scribbles of hands and objects, his secret language. He said he made it up, it felt like he didnt. He said it was a dairy, it was holding some of the hints he collected since he was starting to question. The rest was in the two older notebooks he filled with theories upon speculation.

On each page there was the sentences, I am a monster. Sometimes it was on the top sometimes in the middle or written on the margins. He wrote it first thing on the new page. Then he stopped he wasnt all too sure where to start with this piece. His emotions made a barrel roll, he felt sick.

He scribbled the name of the mountain down.  
Wrong starting point. Snow, water, lava. Home. Prisson. Defeat. Hope... He was viciously striking the name out. A bit later he will come back to it. He needed a less confusing starting point.

So he started to describe the figure with the cape he saw. That was a much better on his mind. He respected him, adored him, and followed his lead. He had a great deal of trust towards him. Were he friends with him? Yes, good ones. They are friends.

Gaster raised his pen looking at the last three words. The tense he wrote was present not past. He wondered if he could find the name of his friend out. He was a monster like him, he knew him for so long. He suffered so much. He made his job to make him laugh. A fool for his king. He was a king?

Then something broke apart and feeling the scream crawling up his neck, Gaster throw himself into the pillow. Pressing it as hard as he could against his face. The screams were absorbed, his body gave up, his mind slipping away into dreamland.

He was so tired.

It was such a beautiful day. The sun was shining and he was sleeping on the soft grass, eyes occasionally opening to see the never ending blue above him. A shadow fall upon him, a boy around his age was blocking his view to the sky.

"I decided." The boy announced. " Once I am king, I want you to be my royal scientist so stop being lazy and learn all the science there is."

"Well prince I am the great W.D. I already know everything. So I will stay napping for now."

"If I find something you dont know, would you then put some effort in then?"

"Sure, but you will not find anything."

"Is that a promise?"

"Fine. I the great and amazing is promising to you my short prince, that if you find one thing I do not know, that I will not only put effort but I will become the epitome of energetic! Now let me nap, I am bone tired."

The smile of his friend told him that maybe his nap will be cut short, very soon. He didnt mind it.

"We are surrendering!"

He looked up from his wall of bones. Summoned to block a volley of fire arrows aimed at them. There was dust everywhere. Blood splattered like lonely flowers across the barren field. Not a single body laying. They lost. They were too weak in the end. Would they now die? Or would they be granted even the smallest of mercy. Limping he stood beside his majesty to his full height, what ever fate is to befall their race he will not let him be alone in carrying the burden.

That was a promise.

The last time he saw the sky it was heavy and grey, a thunder the last goodbye given to them.

Purple hallway and a foot tapping against the floor. The feeling of being caught red handed. "Whose idea was the big spike puzzle?" The voice boomed, and he looked up sheepishly. "It safety precaution because it will not be easily passed by potential humans coming after..." He knew he was a tad paranoid, but one couldnt blame him.

"Try guessing how many came complaining about getting hurt because of it." The disappointing look was directed at him. It run directly through his soul like a spear.

"I will put the solution in the room beside it?" He offered slightly unsure and the disappointment changed into a approving smile.

"Excellent do that!"

Water, water was everywhere. So much annoying water, stupid slippery sloop. Idiotic sprained ankle. A hand patter on his head while he was carried around like a bag. He huffed. Just because he was light and barely weighted anything compared to some others, didnt mean he should be carried around. He could walk perfectly fine even if his ankle hurt a bit. This was hurting his pride a lot more.

"Oh! I know! I will call this place Waterfall." He said while standing in front of a waterfall.

"Why are we allowing you to name staff again?"

"Because I am king and its in my job description. Or are you saying that this isnt a waterfall?"

He opened his mouth to debate that one couldnt name a whole place because it had one thing in. He closed it again, it was a waterfall. How would you even debate that.

He was too excited to drink his tea. The flowers around him smelled nicely, but did nothing to slow him down. His hands waving around as he was trying to get his point across.

"Gaster, please breath. "

"Yes, yes. Fine. Not matter. Breaking the barrier!"  
A heavy hand was put on top of his head as if to ground him in place. It worked as his hands stopped waving around, and he wasnt jumping in his seat any longer.

"I understood you the first ten times. There is a real hope to break the barrier. Our kind may see the sky in their lifetime again." He nodded as the king spoke, wanting to offer a plan of research for it. But before he could get a word out the king kept speaking.

"Make it your secondary job. Your first priority is to help us with what we need now. Invent something that would bring energy to every corner of Underground. Understood?"

"Yes, of course. You are right the research may last a long time. Focus."

Halls upon hallways of laboratory. Two pair of steps following him. He knew the sound of the steps so well. It felt natural to have them there. They rythm so different but somehow perfectly matching with the sound of his own steps. There were holes in his hands. A report about his findings held tightly by those hands. It was worrying. Dark. Darker. Yet darker.

"Ah, good you are here. I have to show you this Asg-"

Names.

His eyes opened when a rush of all the names hit him. All came in one single moment. The sun was shining through his window. The bed sheets were wrapped around him. He stared at the sky and white clouds he could see from his window. He was on the surface? How? Did he break the barrier? His last idea was a failure, or was it not?

If they are on the surface then maybe he could go back to sleep. Closing his eyes, he moved his hair out the way and froze. Hair.

He fall promptly out the bed as he tried to energetically jump out of it, sheets wrapped around. It was noon.

He was seventeen.

"I cannot believe I wasted seventeen years! "

He was sure the barrier was not yet broken, if it was all news would be talking about monsters. Which meant they may think him dead. Asgore may even forbid the experiment to be repeated. And... what was he trying to do again?... They needed humans to break the barrier. He looked down on himself.

He looked human.

Was he human?

Was that his experiment?

If his soul was human as well, then its was a success the only problem would be the period it took him to remember and... why was he outside the barrier? Did his soul transferred to a child? No. His biological father hated him and was afraid of him because he was a monster since birth. That was a fact. That was the reason he tried to kill him. You kill monsters...

He groaned.

Focus.

He needed a focus. He wasted so many years having a happy go lucky life, while his friends and family were still trapped under mount Ebott. He had to return. So he could continue to run test and break the thing once and for all...Clear on his action he stood up and picked the bag he packed ahead of time for his uni. He will have to say goodbye to his foster parents and thank them for raising him and being so kind. For humans they were good people.

He shouldnt leave his friends without a word either. Even if their number he could count on one hand. The orange sweeter was placed in his bag. He would gift it to him. The book and notebook joining the clothing item in the bag. He needs another apology gift. Maybe a deluxe bottle of ... of... He slowed down. His memory didnt return fully.

He poked his mind, gaping holes of void stared back at him. Sins of another lifetime crawled up his back. Bandages and coffins. The bag dropped out his hands... What was he doing?! Seven souls. Thats how many they needed. He...didnt remember how many they have collected. Just that it was a really long time since the last child fall in the underground. So at the very least they had one.

He was in a unique position, regardless if he was a human or not. He was a monster outside the barrier. He could collect the souls and then with them return home. He would have to just make sure and kill six more humans.

No, no, no.

He needed to first build the containers for the human souls, only then he could collect them.

He vaguely remembered how the blueprints looked. He had to hope his muscle memory, hehe, would assist him in building it... Only problem he would need a workshop. The uni had a workshop for his students to use.

He was eager to go to uni. His parents happy about his new found enthusiasm. He felt guilty. His eagerness coming from a morally unacceptable plan. He was planning to kill. He knew he fought for his life in the war... Yet in his memory he couldnt remember a single human dying. Hurting yes. Broken arms or legs. Bleeding... Not a single corpse. Maybe it he was forgetting it, he sure had holes... He knew the higher the LV the easier it gets...

Was his LV... one...?

He sat his bag on his new bed, his roommate already chatting about the subjects they would take. A economy student, he was in the engineering so he could get the greatest amount of time in the workshops. It looked so unimportant the babble the human was producing. He had the fate of a whole race on his shoulders a race who didnt get to leave underground for centuries. And here in front of him a human greatest worry was if he will get in the social communication class.

 _It wasnt fair._

They didnt even remember monsters properly any longer. Creatures of great violence and fear, that what they thought they were. He never could watch dinosauria movies as a kid. Now he stuck to comedy and romance, unable to watch anything with fantasy or horror elements. Anything that hid a monster in the shadows made him feel insulted on the behalf of his race. Even if he couldnt say it aloud.

He needed to be free to help, he needed to behave as what it is deemed normal. He couldnt risk to get locked up. Exactly this line of thinking lead him to humor his roommate and get to know him better. Having a social circle was a human behaviour they valued a lot.

The weeks ticked by and he slept less and less, more and more of the night he spend obtaining materials from a local dump. A familiar action of going through human trash. He even got a few memories from it. He waited for the holidays before he moved his plans to the next stage, less people less chance to get in trouble.

He build a gun, that was easy. Humans had an unhealthy obsession to make weapons that kill better, faster or more. He had to research them. When he realized the amount of imagination they possessed he felt ill for two days. To his roommate he said he got the flu. What they were ready and willing to do to each other, said enough. No wonder the monsters lost. They didnt think the right way. If the war was today...

But it wasnt, and what ifs were from no use to him now. He build one container, that was harder. He had to build several things from scratch. He noticed how much things he needed costed. So he build the barest minimum.

It was the night he choose to perform his test. He couldnt risk anything not working when he tries to collect a human soul. A stray dog was idly lying on a towel he laid out beforehand. It followed him with easy, even coming close to him when he offered to pet it...Gaster believed luring a dog to him when his attentions were to kill him would be much harder. Yet the mutt didnt show the smallest bit of fear when he spotted the human. It even came up to him.

He would shot, put the soul in the container and observe. If everything is in working order, he will move to finding a human... He was still debating if he should go for a homeless person or maybe try going after a criminal and do a good deed with this as well, but the collecting would be slower in that case. As well, a lot more riskier on him. A child would be the simplest solution, thougth... but they had parents...and he kept on seeing his own foster parents faces in distress and heart broken.

Parents crying and screaming their pain out for their two lost children...

Definatly not a child.

It was snowing outside, and Gaster snapped out of his unseeing gazing when he felt a wet tongue lick his fingers. The animal noticed his distress. He couldnt allow himself to get attached, he ushered the animal back and took the gun pointing it towards the dog.

Thinking about the wellbeing of all monsters, filled him with determination. It was a small price to pay for their freedom.

The dog stared at him. It had pale blue eyes.

Five minutes later he put a blindfold on the dog.

He pointed the gun towards the dog again.

He needed to do this.

Monster kind needed him to do this. He couldnt fail them. Asgor needed him to do this, he told him all humans that fall had to die. The two needed him to do it...

A voice he knew well, loudly and sadly said that there must be a different way. A way where one doesnt do a level of violence. He was determined. He was a genius, if there isnt one, why not invent one? He was determined, he wouldnt disappoint. A shot echoed in the room. Seconds later the dog was wincing in fear curled up against the door.

He missed.

He missed a point blank shot by a mile.

He wasnt strong enough.

His chest hurt. No... his soul hurt. He sensed his soul for the first time since he became like this. He didnt realize how much he was logging to feel his soul. Now that the feeling was there it hurt so unbearingly much. He screamed throwing the self build weapon against the window. Taking a sick satisfaction of seeing shards fly everywhere.

More.

He wanted to see more.

Disappointment. Anger. Rage. Hate. Unfairness. Uselessness.

Failure.

Failure.

Failure.

Gaster blinked, the feeling in his chest was gone, hidden away even from him. He was on the floor, lazily he observed around himself. The workshop was a mess. A ton of things were broken, he used the chair to slam things into pieces. The tables were flipped over and a table leg was resting in his hand. It had blood going down it, from where his finger were wrapped around it.

It rolled out his hand. He felt tired. He curled more into himself on the floor. His hands and arms bleed from various scratches and cuts.

The dog was unharmed.

The dog was staring at him.

Probably thinking that he was mad.

Maybe he was and nothing about this was real. All being a figment of his imagination. How crazy must he be to think monsters are a real thing. He may be just a really sick human searching affirmation in coincidences.

He closed his eyes. But if it was real then... he noticed during his rage that he was missing something pretty big... He couldnt believe he forgot about it. He didnt felt any magic. His magic wasnt flowing.

Without magic what was the state of his soul? To be in such pain ... intriguing, was he still hurt from The Last Memory. If he carried the damage over he should be dead. With magic it would heal, human food didnt have magic in it. Humans were not made out of magic either. So their presence would heal him either. The air may not even have magic, more test were needed to be sure. But without magic the damage could not be repaired, could it?...

The dog licked his fingers. He jumped a bit surprised.  
"You are sparing me?"

He raised his hand and petted the stray. Accepting the mercy.  
"Something is wrong with my soul."

The dog blinked.

"I felt the determination effects, and the backlash of not using it when I focused it. I lacked intent to bear it."

The dog made a soft whine and moved closer to him in search of warm... because an animal couldnt be trying to comfort him.

"I guess, I need to apologise to everyone. I will have to let them wait a bit longer. I first need to make a scanner."

The dog was now settled against him, absorbing the mindless pets he was giving the animal. His free hand moving around in lazy and tired motions.

"I need money... Stealing would get me in trouble so... a job. A good paid job."

Soon he started cleaning his mess.

* * *

Gaster found it absolutely fascinating that the only damage he didnt manage to fix or replace was the broken window. And that he blamed it on clumsiness and tiredness...and was believed. Somehow the trouble he awaited avoided him. The teacher liked him a lot, because he was always so active and nice on his classes. The socializing thing was quite useful and paying off. He counted it as a small blessing.

The blessing didnt last longer than a day. The gun he made was on the table of the shared kitchen when he left his bedroom in search for morning foods. His roommate playing with it, one finger trailing the muzzle. "Morning Gaster. Slept well?" He searched for it till late night, the stray keeping him company, when he couldnt find it he hoped it was simply lost.

And even if it was found by some stranger he was thinking there was no way to trace him back to him, right?

He was thinking wrong.

"Morning." He said shortly, he had no idea how to behave. What actions would lead to the most favorable outcome?

"You know, weapons arent allowed on campus."

His roommate looked up and there was a look in his eyes. It bordered on disgust but as well...intrigued? Curiosity? That couldnt be right. He wished he could check him. As he stayed silent the human sighed heavily.

"I will not even ask why you tried to kill a dog, or what was that temper tantrum you throw afterwards. Never thought you had it in you... But where did you got this thing? I am sure the police would love to question you on who sold you this... gun."

"No one." His hands moved but their motion was not understand by his roommate who looked up from inspecting the weapon. Clarification was wanted.

"No one sold it to me. I made it."

"You?"

Gaster nodded.

"You just like that made a gun. And you are saying it like you made pizza or something."

It was his turn to sigh. "I am pretty sure I said I am a genius during the first few days of rooming together. It shouldnt come as a surprise. It wasnt a difficult thing to make that. The x-ray scanner for science fair was more complicated."

It was a fact, and it made him feel determined. It was time to act.

He needed money.

His roommate was into economics because he dreamed of heaps of money and luxury. Surely the human wouldnt mind giving some of it to him, especially if he helped him get rich in the first place?... It would be... Yes, it would be like a little donation for helping monster kind. How hard could it be pushing one human to the top of their world?

He never liked doing things half heartedly.

"I am a inventor."

"Yeah... I guess ..." He interrupted the human. The determination curled around his soul. He moved closer, his stance radiating confident. He knew he looked like he was owning the world right about now. He leaned against the table with one hand. The other moving his hair out his eyes, the fingers brushing over the scar. He was doing it for them.

"How about we two strike a deal, that will turn your life around. You are smart you can see a business opportunity when it lives with you, right?"

He had the human full attention now.

"I am listening."

"Seeing you are my _friend_ Jeremy, how about you sell things I come up with."That wasnt stated as a question. " Innovation is a profitable thing when you have my friendship."

"And then when you have your brand all set up, you will step on me." Jeremy spoke smirking amused at the idea of being ...betrayed? That was not his intention at all.

"You misunderstood. I dont want my name anywhere. I dont want the credit. " That created a shock, and a opening. Publicity was really not his thing. Constantly being watched, being asked millions of questions and awaited to always give a satisfying answer in both package and contents... not his thing. He much rather preferred to be in the shadow of men bigger than himself. He smiled in earnest at the pun.

"Do you know how much you would lose on patents alone? If you make something great your name could end up in history books. Dont you want to be remembered?"

Time to go for the finale.

"I am not interested in fame. I dont want my name anywhere. What I am interested in is the money. A portion of what you earn so I can work and invent in peace, even you can make even more money of it." He wanted to leave it at that but he kept on talking. The words slipping from his lips in a warning tone and nearly out of his control. "Of course if you ever think of betraying me, selling me out and the like... Someone else's company may be less stupid."

By this point he moved to lean into his roommate face. His hand reaching out and taking the gun. At least he tried to take it. Jeremy hand shot out and gripped his wrist. Holding him in place. There was a strong intent coming in waves off him. Was he too aggressive in his choose of words? He felt caught. He felt trapped.

"Your offer sounds quite amazing. I assume accepting your idea of a deal would also mean I keep my lips shut at what I see or hear, right?"

"I will make it lucrative for you to do so."

" My dads friend is in the military and..."

"I will not make any weapons. I was thinking more along the lines products for the masses. "

Both skipped to leave their room that day. The stray lurked close by watching the door from which Gaster would have to leave from. The two students spending the time to go through all the what ifs there existed. Jeremy was testing and pushing on what he could make and as long as it wasnt weapons Gaster mostly answered with yes. He created an environment friendly power plant from pieces found in a dump. He was sure he could make shiny trinkets. Jeremy wasnt yet aware what goldmine he hit by simple being in the right place at the right time to see him in a moment of weakness.

A week later with barely an hour of sleep Gaster delivered on his first promise. A prototype with blueprints included, all written out clearly for any idiot to be able to follow them and rebuild it. That writing and explanations took him longer than building the damn thing. Jeremy was speechless.

Gaster slept the next two days.

It became a routine to him to feed the stray who showed him mercy after what he tried to do. The snow started to melt away and he wasnt sure what he should do next. Day after day passed and he barely saw his roommate. He wasnt allowed any longer extended hours in the workshop. He read everything he was interested from the library. He was running low on things to do.

Sitting on the bench he allowed the wind to caress his skin. Simple taking in the world and light around him. A guilty pleasure while they were trapped. No money no progress, no money no travel, no money no real research. It was frustrating how much this world relied on it.

If he didnt know better he would put up an asymptote that the surface magic was money.

The stray appeared and he smiled at him. Two puppies tagged after the stray and he tilted his head his fingers moving in a question. The stray was walking slower and with more trouble. As if he was in pain. It came up to the bench and Gaster found himself petting him. The puppies keeping their distance for the moment. The old stray tried to climb onto the bench and seeing him nearly falling on himself Gaster pulled him up and let his head rest in his lap.

"What happened to you? You dont look all that good."

The dog was enjoying the pats.

"Who are your two friends you brought over to introduce to me?"

The dog movements slowed down, his tail stilled. Gaster felt a nuzzle from the animal before its pale blue eyes glazed over, gaining a glass gray tint, his own eyes opening wide in shock. No. It couldnt...

A soul flattered up from the animal, small and beautiful. In the single moment it existed out its body it pale blue color, just like his eyes before, was beckoning him. He never noticed when did he raise his hand to have his fingers touch it. A small surge of magic flowed along his bones from the tip of his fingers, across his arm and elbow, to his shoulder and along his rib cage reaching directly into his soul. The pain ebbed away briefly before it returned the barest hint weaker than before. The sensation of his own soul slipping away from his consciousness once more.

He understood.

He was crying.

He hugged the body of the now lifeless stray close. His tears falling onto the still warm fur. The puppies approached giving small yelps of question.

To think he was only a hand twitch away from killing such a patient soul. To think the stray possessed just the smallest drop of magic, enough to see souls around him. To know that the stray came to him in his last moment to use that magic with intent to help heal him. No wonder the stray keep returning to him, it could see he was a monster, and how hurt his soul truly was. It was a far cry of enough to fix anything but it helped.

It filled him with de-No!...It filled him with hope.

He was not awaiting this, but he had two kids to take care of... again. He chuckled sadly as he lowered his hand carefully and allowed the puppies to sniff him.

After a trip to the vet station, and vet shop he was faced with the hardest decision in years. What to name them?

"... Do you think it would be too on the nose if I called you blaster one and blaster two?" He asked the puppies who were busy playing with a tug toy. His other naming idea was to name them after people he knew in the underground. Calling them Asgore and Tori, was amusing all on its own, but it felt off... if he had to name goats, maybe? It would be funny, but disrespectful.

He didnt settle on the names that day instead going to sleep early. He wanted to start the day early as well. He awaited the puppies to wake him up demanding to be fed. He was awoken early but not by the puppies.

"... You know pets arent allowed on the campus." He opened a eye to see Jeremy with his arms crossed over his chest. He huffed at the human and closed his eyes, he wanted to sleep so he could stay awake for the next few nights.

"Under deal."

He spoke already slipping back into sleep. Clearly expressing his wish for Jeremy to keep his lips thigh and he will get something in return. A piece of paper was tapped roughly over his face and Gaster opened his eyes. It was not paper, it was an envelope. It was dropped on him and he sat up surprising the sleeping puppies from his persona. The two beings rolled off his chest to his lap, dizzy and disoriented.

"What is this?" He questioned the envelope wasnt all that thin.

"You are my genius what do you think." Jeremy smirked, he looked so proud of himself. Gaster simple blinked and slowly opened it. Inside was money, and quite a bit of it actually. He didnt await that it would bring this much from the beginning. "Took me quite a bit to negotiate something with which we can start things up. Soon we will have a company of our own to work from. I recommend you open a bank account, so it would be easier to transfer the money."

He barely kept attention on Jeremy. The puppies needed some food, and he was already planning his next blueprint for Jeremy. Especial attention he put into the planning of how he should spend the money.

"Gaster, you with us?" Fingers snapped in front of his nose. Well maybe he didnt pay him any attention. He looked at him and the man shock his head in a clear I dont understand you fashion.

"Name suggestion?"  
"Huh? I am still partial towards blaster one and two."

Jeremy narrowed his eyes.

"For the company name not your flee collectors."

"Oh. For the company."

"Yes, Gaster... You know maybe I should talk to you after you had coffee, do you drink coffee sweet or black?"

There was a grin on his face, he knew the perfect name, if the human was letting him name things than he shall do it, in a appropriated fashion...Something his king would even approve. "A Monster company."

"Ah, I see what you did there." Jeremy chuckled and he was positive the man wasnt getting the actual situation.

"A Monster company because we will be the monsters of industry. I think its a fine name." He picked the kids up and feed them, there was a lot to do in the following days.

He didnt get free until the first days of summer. Another idea of his was chased in, this time a bit smaller. Two more of his projects were on stack, Jeremy attempting to explain how its bad to flood the market. He didnt care.

What he did care about was now in front of his eyes. A backpack on, and a hiking staff in his hand, Blaster Wing and Blaster Ding on long leashes, Gaster felt equipped to face it. He started to walk the trail up the mountain. Memories coming to him of following the same route up, surrounded with humans with murderous intent. Bones cracked and broken, each pained steps allowed a mercy... He felt sad and somber. Around half the way he stopped, the blasters were too tired to go on.

He set up a tent and warmed leftover spaghetti he took on this trip. A collection of letters were sitting in his lap. Each having a name on the front. Two letters were written completely in his language. Those were the heaviest ones. It was hard on him to write them all out. But determination helped him out there. The written word explained what happened with him, how to fix the experiment, if there was another attempt. His plans on working from the outside to break the barrier. As well as offering up to send things the monsters may wish or need from the outside. Ways to figure out a better way of communications. Maybe a two way... Many pages of his letters were apologises for everything.

He was a failure on several levels. Admitting that he couldnt damage his soul with obtaining exp by collecting the souls needed in fear of his soul current unknown state. He knew it was an excuse but at least one person in underground would not hold it against him. The Blasters raised their heads and barked at something.

Someone was there. They run away after hearing the dogs. It was too dangerous for a human to be here. The magic was breathing just under the earth. He staffed the letters in his inner pocket and holding the leashes in one hand run in the direction the motion came from.

He got a glimpse of them before they started running away even faster. He himself was stunted for a few moments. The leashes were straining, but the kid... The kid he just saw... It wasnt them, of course not. But they bared a striking resemblance to them. How very intriguing. "What do you two think?" He asked the dogs, who were tugging on their leashes. Oh, yes he was running after them, he should probably pick that motor function up again, instead of just standing there rooted.

Shaking his head he continued to run after, but he lost them. Looking around he started searching. It took him longer than he hoped but he found a cave. He felt a pull in his chest. He ordered the blasters to sit, letting the leashes go. In case he didnt return they would be free.

He stepped carefully into the cave. He found it. The entrance where they all fall in. The edges were slippery, so he became extra careful. He was so close to Home. Did the kid found this place yet? If they did are they already down there? He couldnt see the bottom. He took a stone and throw it down the hole. He heard a weak sound when it hit the ground.

He was in a unique position, he reminded himself. It wouldnt do to fall down and get trapped again. He came here to let them know, give everyone some hope... maybe his action would lead to sparing the child from having their soul collected.

If not.

It would simply mean one less soul he had to worry about getting.

He moved out the cave in search for a good heavy stone. He spend some time to make sure the letters were attached properly and wouldnt scatter when they fall down in the ruins. Not a single one he wanted to be lost. It started to get dark, a shiver run down his spine. Nearly as the chill in the air wasnt natural. A whisper of lingering intent across centuries. He shock the feeling off and entered the cave.

He walked into a invisible wall nose first. A step into the cave was a invisible wall. A wall that wasnt there ten minutes ago.

How annoyingly fascinating. No amount of pushing let him in. The blasters were whining behind him, something was scaring them. Dropping the letters beside him, he sat in front of the oblivious magic caused wall and closed his eyes. The magic sensation he all but drunk in.

His magic senses were horrible rusted in. It will take more time to...


	2. Chapter 2

AN As suggested I am breaking the story up in chapters. Thanks for reading it ^^

* * *

His magic senses were horrible rusted in. It will take more time to...

"It will take more time to find the answer to this." He was sitting on a chair, white walls surrounding him, a screen in front of his eyes showing countless lines starting and stopping. A empty mug on his side, papers filled with messy calculation covering the table where his bony fingers were tapping in a rhythm of his his thinking.

"what do we know would be able to cause it for starters?" A second chair moved closer to him.

"For the anomaly to even exist, it ... something powerful. For it to mess the timeline this badly up... No one in underground would be able to stand up against such a force..."

He took a long breath, he knew this was a problem in the future, the anomaly was unsettling mostly because he was not having any luck in finding any indication how it resolves, his instruments could not look into the future far enough to see if it ends and how. How it starts? He had theories. A possible reason for its start maybe that the spell which created the barrier was acting up and wrapping the time. Another option was that it was a human doing...

"We all would be depended on their mercy." He didnt like the statement he spoke aloud. Hoping for once he would be wrong. The door slid open and both of them cheered up at the person whose lab coat was dancing on non-existing wind around them. It made his own grin grew a bit larger and it wasnt only because the smell of fresh cooked food was coming from the big plate he was holding.

"Who made you be late? We were waiting for your opinion, to make sure we two didnt again overseen the simple solution..."

A lick to his cheek and he jumped. It was dark the ground under him cold and his dog was nuzzling his cheek afraid. The other one was pressed against his back eyes staring into the dark. Guarding him. "My Blasters." He spoke removing his hand from the magic.

"I think we have come face to face with the anomaly I detected all those decades ago." Picking the leashes he started to lead them back through the darkness. His movement on autopilot.

"It appears I have to solve two problems. The barrier problem I cannot even address until the anomaly has been dealt with."

They came up to the tent and he crawled in, the anomaly wasnt going anywhere and without instruments he couldnt do any adequate observation, even less data collections. He will have to wait for daylight to inspect it radius, maybe it wasnt affecting the whole underground and maybe there was another way inside he could find? From somewhere the items in the dump must be coming...

As he closed his eyes he found it intriguing. He never even dream of studying the anomaly from outside. He forgot that tidbit until now, that it was a problem he had his eyes on back then... What karma must he have, that he the one who studied this phenomenon ended up witnessing its creation as an outside observer. One of the best position for a man of science.

To top it all off, it was a human who triggered it. Like his fears stated.

Not any human, no greedy man, or jealous woman, or corrupt person, or trigger happy madman, but a child.

A child bearing resemblance to _them_ , in his mind there was no doubt that the kid he saw must have fallen in the underground and triggered the anomaly.

He wondered if the timelines were knitted with the fate of the child. If they were... Then any attempt on the child life, while trying to collect the soul would end the current line and start a new one from a point where the child was not in life danger. With no one to remember, everything will repeat. Would the kid remember?

It would be merciful if they dont.

So he assumed they would. His worst case scenario, he will work from there. The anomaly will take priority...

That night it rained, in the tent Gaster was sleeping his dreams filled with theories and plans, mixed with grey skies and chanting. Wing and Ding were using the distracted human, or was he a monster, as a pillow. Both shying away from things they saw today. And just beside the cave entry a rock sat in the growing mud. A rope around it curling in the mud till it reached a bundle of wet letters. Laying forgotten. Each of them leaking ink, the words slowly being erased from the paper they were once written with great care.

In the morning with the sun high in the sky that what was left, now a ink stained clump was picked up.  
With no word spoken it was slowly and delicately carried back to the camp and soon all that remained was burning in a campfire, its ash carried off by the wind and across all of Ebott. As if the letters never existed, the only proof they did was one spot on the ground where the ink was mixed with the drying earth.

Ten days passed too quickly.

He nearly forgot himself and stayed longer. That wouldnt do, he went to the nearby town and asked if any children were reported missing. None were. He worried for the strength of the human soul. They definitely had enormous power to be connected to the anomaly, but that didnt mean they were mature enough to handle it responsible.

Ergo why he needed their back story. To know what made them come to that mountain in the first place. As well as why they run away from him. Thought that maybe simple a instinctual reaction to someone chasing you.

He will need to buy a car. How he desired the abilty to short cut right about then. Too many things he will have to transport over, as well he will need a dry place to store his machines and research...He needed to build a fitting house with a lab preferably on the mountain itself. Maybe pinpoint where hotlands have to be and do it over what he believes to be the labs.

His followers would have adored the idea.

Which lead him that he will need to buy land, pay construction workers to build a lab. Then pay them some extra to never speak of it.

He as well had to obtain the materials for the machines he had to build for his task.  
He was in a desperate need for money. A lot of money. And he couldnt get it fast enough.

Unwillingly, but aware this was the only way he left back to the uni. Jeremy, was his solution. He could beckoning him into a few high risk high payout situation. But to do that he will have to firstly sweeten the deal they already have.

More invention.

But before that he will finish something he wanted to do before. He had to be aware if the anomaly would be able to affect his soul or not. If the magic that he felt in the air on the eight evening, just when the sun was setting, reacted with him. It was only briefly, several minutes at best. He had no idea how much magic leaked into the air even less how it came to it? The barrier wouldnt let anything escape. Especially not magic in the air.

The only theory he could offer to his restless mind, was that the barrier was gone. That was absolutely impossible, because of the anomaly still existing after the 'leak' vanished.

He looked at his reflection in the window. Back at him stared a wide grinning male, his eyes tired and hair a mess. The scars looking more prominent in the poor up, and one under his eyes. The eyes who were focusing into the distance. A human who had a lot before him.

He couldnt throw himself into work and ignore the existence of the word sleep like he wished. Instead he felt burdened with the social interaction. It was like everyone in the world wanted to spend time with him, right about then. He dropped for a weekend to his foster parents.

It made them happy.

He couldnt deny them.

Maria and Dave wanted to hang out, so he did. He doubted that Dave would ever again provide him with another puzzle piece. Not after he had such a big part already done. There were still holes of void watching him from the deepest parts of his mind. Parts where memories should be... Still he owned them even if they didnt realize it. He was simply repaying his debts.

Yet, he was wrong. Dave once more proved he can be useful to him, unknowingly. Dave told him that his grandpa would move back to his childhood home to live. The old man claiming that the Ebott air is cleaner. The home of the old man was too far from where he needed it. Even so he was invited to visit it anytime.

He could stay with Dave grandfather to save money until he finish his labs. On other hand Maria was announcing what she deiced on becoming. A reporter, a journalist in hunt for the story of the lifetime. Gaster filed that information in his mind with low importance. The only story he could imagine for her to use were all connected to Jeremy and the invention he would be making for his roommate.

Four weeks with barely, any sleep. It was finally done.

He was watching his soul.

It was the most miserable thing he glanced at in his whole experience as soul researcher. His first coherent and distinct thoughts that he had after seeing it, were if he should come up with a new word for it. Because the word soul wasnt appearing as suitable much.

From afar the soul would maybe appear as a red human soul. The main color of it was red, and the shape was that of a heart pointing down. A characteristic of a human soul. The problem was that the red color he was seeing was fluid determination. Not a soul but a soul trait, that was for whatever reason keeping the heart shape. Quite fascinating.

He didnt know that the fluid determination could behave like that.

Pretending to be a human soul.

His actual soul...

Well... his soul was a collection of shards suspended in the determination fluid. The pieces were quite small and were mostly white. Some shards when he observed them with a strong magnifying option had tints of different colors. The shards if he followed them carefully would outline a hearth form as well, but one that pointed up. A monster soul. That answered his identity questions. He was a monster. With a soul pretending to be human, in a human body. It filled him with hope that maybe his skeleton was actually monster in nature and it simple got human skin, muscles and organs attached to it. More research will be needed.

In the end it was no wonder his soul pained him when he sensed it, without the determination it would be dust, then without the determination it would never shattered into thousands of pieces... fine it was more like hundert's but still.

He dared to imagine the reaction of monsters to the state of his soul. The king would be frozen in place mount agape. Toriel would jump him and pour healing magic into his soul. His lab followers would panic and try to restrain him to a bed, until he recovers. _He_ would hug Gaster until his ribs would start to loudly crack and the other would not sleep and simple watch him patiently like a hawk till he was back on his legs, smuggling him cups of coffee. While reporting him to his followers if he even dared to work.

Weekly checks, and overseeing progress, regular counting of the number of... shards is recommended. He deiced, it will be the least he could do for them. They would be proud he was actually thinking of his own well-being for a change... If only so he could work on the anomaly and barrier.

Time passed and he found himself in the company of humans he would had prefer to avoid. The police.

Jeremy was sitting beside him, the demonstration of his invention playing in front of them. Non lethal weapons to take down lethal threats. Better drones for observing threats. He felt like he was biting in a lemon... It was worth it. He befriended a few key personal, nice words, trust and two cups of coffee later he was allowed to look into the police report.

"Frisk." The child name was Frisk. They were reported missing good two weeks after they became missing. After more research he was positive that the kid was a happy one whose life was anything but nice to them. He became even more determined to hurry up with his preparations. Worry for them curling around his soul.

Pushing oneself to work even more and faster when he was already running on no sleep technically speaking...was maybe a bad idea. Scratch that, it was a horrible idea. One moment he was screwing something down and the next he found it interesting his eyes were closed. He opened his eyes to see that he was in a hospital bed. Scribbling of a pen bringing his attention to the side. Jeremy in a suit was eating an apple while writing on a stack of paper.

"You slept for five days straight." The man spoke without even looking at Gaster. He made a grunt sound as a response. Hands moving in gestures of wonder.

"The doctor for a while though you fallen into a coma there." Jeremy said crumpling the paper into a ball and tossing it in the bin.

A second voice echoed in his mind. _"Dont ever do that again. We thought you fall down..."_ It was gone, he felt too tired to go after it. "I'fine." He spoke with a rusty sounding voice. A thumb up while the other hand pointed on his chest.

Jeremy snorted. "Your flea bags sure didnt think that when they howled and barked up so loudly the whole city block heard them. Found you collapsed over some really strange machines." Jeremy looked at him, once more the man looked intrigued and curious. The pen was put down and he was offered a glass of water.

It felt heavenly.

"Under deal." He spoke much easier, as he was slowly pushing himself into a sitting position. Jeremy sighed heavily. A document was put in his lap. The words were dancing in front of his eyes.

"You wanted to buy some land. The price was a pure rip off. So I took over and pushed it down into a reasonable range. Once you signature is on that line it will be yours." Gaster blinked at the dancing letters again. The contract was in the workshop with him... Buried under a bunch of his research paper... Jeremy didnt knew about his intentions... His chest clenched when he realized the other snooped around his things. Finding the documents and took it in his hands to lower the price...What else did he saw or took?

He will need to create a better security. One no human or human agency will be able to break in. He couldnt remember if everything was written in his language or not.

"... Are souls real?"

And there was his answer something must have not been written in his language of symbols.

"Under deal." He responded flatly, not looking up from the paper in his lap.

"There were quite a few pictures. Really realistic looking pictures, tracing a recovery progress of some sort...Had to wonder if it were pictures of a soul... Was it yours?"

"Under deal." He hissed, unaware that both his hands went to cover his chest. Disliking how on point the guess was. He felt trapped, his pulse has risen the highest it ever been. Jeremy stood up. He awaited an attack, his muscles ready to jump into avoiding. A long forgotten itch in his spine awoke a survivor instincts. Dodge.

"Six months." He blinked, that made no sense with the conversation they were having two seconds ago. Distraction tactics? He meet the human eyes. Different intents were coming of him. The confusion was obvious so Jeremy continued.

"You have six months to yourself. Finish your doctorate, give time to that obsession you obviously have with the mountain. Become healthy and rested. Once the time is up I will await you to give me something big. Or nothing will be under deal. Understood, my friend. " He bit into the apple leaving by then only the core in his hand.

The human spoke and Gaster pushed the itch in his spine down, forcing his muscles to relaxs. Jeremy wanted to still keep the deal... was it because he hoped he could gain access to the proof of souls? Sure that was something big but how exactly would it bring money? He didnt know. Still the time he will need, so he nodded slowly accepting to give him something worth enough to keep his lips shut about what he saw. On the logical side a bigger invention would bring more money, right?

"Great. So G, I will await you to call me if you need anything. You appear to have trouble with overpay things." Jeremy waved and throwing his apple core away moving around the room to collect his papers. Gaster followed his actions, it nearly appeared as if with that everything was settled...

"...Construction workers..." He spoke his hands moving adding the missing words, and the other froze, looking over to him. Urging him to expand the sentence, the hand movements not meaning anything to him. So he obligated. "I need construction workers to build me a private work-lab on this land. And keep shut afterwards. "

"Ok." Jeremy smiled, eyes twinkling in a way, Gaster couldnt place. Was it intrigue? Cheerfulness? Greed? No? Yes? ... It didnt mattered as long as he kept his word and gave him the funds he needed.

He recovered, he got the doctorate done. Officially becoming Dr. Gaster. It felt good. Like obtaining a piece of yourself back. He socialized to calm the worry of the people he knew. So they would stop bothering and interrupting him. All of it a time waste he had to put up with. He slowed his working enough so he could have regular naps and meals.

Picking plans on how his lab will look took way too much effort and way too many questions he had to answer.

Dave came to help him move, all instruments were in boxes. All papers and data in locked boxes. He didnt question anything. He was thankful that Gaster would keep an eye on his grandfather while he waited for his house to be build. His friend worried that loneliness was getting to his old man. Yet the stubborn man didnt want to move back with rest of the family.

Gaster found it an acceptable exchange, be a friendly and enjoyable company and in return have a free stay and a place from which he could start collecting data. He could do that.

In four weeks the construction was planned on starting, he planned to use that time to collect data points. The first night he tracked up and found the anomaly was unchanged. He felt guilt that it took him so long, but it was unavoidable. He was already working to the bone.

The first few days the old man wasnt talkative which suited him fully well. Every day he would go up the trail his blasters in tow and some instrument in hand. There was magic in the air. Not much but it was there and breathing it assisted his soul to heal. He was fascinated to watch two shards pieces slowly fusing into a slightly bigger shard piece. With that tempo his soul will be whole in a few decades time.

Noon of the sixth day.

The barrier did break. There was no denying with the numbers on his instruments going crazy. He detected where the leak of magic was originated. He was too slow to come to the top before the barrier was reestablished. He put up cameras around the place. A cliff clearing looking towards west. The anomaly was wrapping around it making it unable to come too close.

Every day he would come up the trail and collect data. On the seventh day since the previous iteration his instruments picked the changes in the barrier. He arrived at the clearing just in time to observe a fascinating phenomena.

At first there were no changes, but then the light changed. Inside the anomaly it became sunset as if the light itself was bending under time. It was late afternoon outside the anomaly he noted as he kept observing. He waited and noticed someone walking out on the cliff. It was Frisk.

They were alive and the barrier was broken...

So their soul wasnt used to break the barrier?

Before Gaster could allow his mind to dwell on the fact monster followed the human outside. Captured by the view they came up to the cliff and stared out towards the sun.

His hand touched the wall of the anomaly, like a glass wall he was allowed to see in, even hear them but they wouldnt be aware of his presence.

"Oh my..."

"Isnt it beautiful, everyone?" The king spoke and Gaster nodded, whispering an affirmation. The voice was the same like in his memories. He felt determined to destroy the anomaly, now that he knew the barrier that sealed them down was broken by their own efforts.

He heard Sans and Papyrus voices, he tried for so long not to even think their names so he wouldnt miss them. Now that he saw them, now that he was only several steps away from them, all the emotion ripped themself from his control. He will destroy this anomaly, he will do it. Even if it the last thing in his life he will take it down so he could be by their side.

"THATS THE SUN!? WOWIE! I CANT BELIEVE I AM FINALLY MEETING THE SUN!"

"Just you wait till you seen the moon." Gaster spoke, remembering sans love for space, and stars. How could it have taken him this long to remember that fact. His two dogs looking into the anomaly and towards the monster and then back at Gaster.

"I could stand here and watch this for hours..."

"Yes, it is beautiful is it not? But we should really think about what comes next."

"Oh, right."  
Even when she said she couldnt be the queen any longer she still pulled Asgor mind to that what has to be done. Decision that have to be made. He took a deep breath, years ago Asgor was promising war on the humans. Their weapons are fearsome but he will prepare for it. What ever his king wish is he will give his all to make it a success.

Yet, there was Frisk standing beside Toriel, unharmed. How he wished he knew what happened.

"Everyone..." Asgor started, Gaster carefully listened. "This is the beginning of a bright new future. A era of peace between humans and monsters."

Hearing his king's words filled him with determination and hope.

Peace.

Not war.

But peace.

Not revenge.

But Mercy.

The humans were not ready to accept monsters, just yet. They were working on accepting them self. But maybe he could assist. Push them into the right direction so when he destroys the anomaly they all would be able to greet the monsters. The military. He will have to do something about the military. The different countries politics as well. He had to make the word monster a brand with ton of positive recognition. They wouldnt like the idea of magical monsters being allied with only one government.

Human rights.

He will have to ensure they all get human rights as soon as they are out.

Maybe as an ethnic minority it would work out?

"...Will you act as our ambassador to the humans?"

The man outside the anomaly blinked before he started arguing hands waving. "You cannot put a kid in such a position! No diplomat will take them serious! Do not get me started at the humans minor working laws. Their parents will not allow it, and I would know, I am keeping a eye on them. Papyrus optimistic outlook would be much better suited as an ambassador. It would be like putting a adorable puppy in front of them, one you cannot say no to...and humans are weak towards puppies...and kittens..." No one heard him... His blasters sniffing around, used to his outburst by this point.

Yet the tall skeleton started running towards him, for the briefest moments he let himself believe that he was noticed.

He wasnt.

The tall skeleton stopped in front of the wall that was the anomaly, two steps off to the left where he stood. Gaster looked at him with a smile, yet the smile dropped. Papyrus had a somber and tired look on his face. It didnt suit him at all... It reminded Gaster too much of his own mirror reflection. Briefly his eyes closed and fingers inside the gloves curled, a deep breath he took in and a big smile was on his face again. His friend jumped him wrapping her hand around him in an arm lock.

Gaster eyes searched the scene, he couldnt spot Sans. Was he attempting to short cut out the anomaly? Or did he walk behind those stones? There was a camera there, it will record him either way. He wanted to understand, and he was determined to solve this. Alphys and the King joined shortly the now loudly laughing skeleton. Yet Papyrus eyes were not on the monsters surrounding him but at the human child.

Hope.

He was hoping for something... for Frisk to do?

Gaster joined him in watching the human, interested what that may be? He was overflowing with determination as he listened to what was Toriel saying to them, to their response.

"Note to self. Research adoption laws." She took Frisk hand and started to lead them to the group.

He wanted to question, he wanted to find out. Frisk looked sad, even guilty as she turned her head away from everyone. He would have missed it if he wasnt focusing on the kid.

 _You cant give up,_

No.

He would not.

The anomaly needed to shatter.

And. He. Will. Shatter. It.

Dark.

Darker.

Yet Darker.


	3. Chapter 3

And. He. Will. Shatter. It.

Dark.

Darker.

Yet Darker.

Pain.

Barks.

His face was in the dirt, the origin of the pain was in his leg. Something was raining on him. Quite interesting. Curiously he picked a piece that what fall by his face, the white piece of... bone. A Gaster blaster bone piece. How fascinating.

His leg was still in piercing pain. He didnt felt any other part of his body. Head shifted he saw the source of the pain. Wing was biting into his leg, the blood flowing between his teeth. Ding was barking at something...up?

The shadow cast over him disappeared, the magic bones fragments vanishing.

"I'm fine." He spoke to the blaster attempting to raise up on his hands. Not a thing he should have done, in hindsight. Forcing his movements he felt his magic. Magic he drained beyond the borders of his own being. His soul strained and his mind filled with the sound of cracking.

The pain intensified, he felt teeth scratching against his bone.

He refused.

He felt his heartbeat, the sensation of soul slipping from his mind. The feeling of magic gone. He took several deep breaths to make the body work.

"Let go." The dog whimpered at the near echoing sound of his voice and let the leg go. He propped himself against the wall of the anomaly. His sweeter soon used as a makeshift bandage to stop the bleeding. His hands were still shaking.

"Fetch me my bag." He said, and both dogs went to do the order. Even thougth Wing was keeping his distance. He didnt pay them any attention, instead he pulled the soul scanner. He confirmed what he sensed. The red determination was pulsing as if its was alive, and the soul embedded in it... it was in more shards then ever. On the good side, he didnt detect any shards that have dusted.

"... A research topic: How small can soul shards get before its dust?"

It was quite a curious question maybe it could become as small as sand. Or small like a snowflakes. It would be sad if the snow melted, thougth. Especially unfortunate it would be towards snowman... and his human physique was influencing his mind, right? He was not in the best condition.

Glancing into the anomaly he confirmed that everyone was gone, and the light was matching the light of its surroundings. "WingDings. Its extremely interesting what just happened. Especially the way determination felt making me that much stronger. Strong enough to pull magic into mine bones and ... really was Gaster blasting the anomaly, didnt I? Whats boning on?"

A hollow chuckle echoed as he rested his head in one palm."Boning, because of bone... and skull...hehe" He nearly felt giddy like a child that he used his magic, sure he didnt have any magic reserves to spare, and when he used the attack and he started burning his soul away, and if he didnt stop when he did he would have turned his soul into dust. Would the human body turn to dust or simple be a corpse? ... But he was capable of magic. His magic.

A small hope was glowing in him.

"...Wing, you did well. Thank you." He softly added beckoning the dogs towards him. Giving each a pet with shaking hands, the pain of the bite interrupted the concentration he would have needed to keep his attack going. He really wanted to pour over the data he had and sort what just happened out... but he did had a bleeding leg and all of his body felt like it was put in a oven in hotlands and then thrown in a ice lake.

"A compromise, I will only collect the data now and not the equipment and bring it with me. Then take care of the wound and while I recover I will pour over what I have. "

He did exactly that, using a branch as walking help he made his way back to the town. The closer he was getting the more tired he felt and the more his mind was brimming with questions and solutions ideas, as well as puns and words that sounded funny. It was like having a skull full of angry bees.

"Gaster, my boy what happened!" Old mans voice cut the buzzing down enough for him to smile back at the worried man.

"Nothing really. I am fine." He answered but allowed the man to usher him to a sitting position.

"That a horrible looking bite." The man said after he undid the sweater bandage. "Did your dog do that?"

He nodded, there was darkness crawling around the edges of his vision and he pulled the bag closer against his chest. Protecting it. Couldnt allow anyone seeing it. He wouldnt be of help for the peace between humans and monsters if he ends up as lab rat to power hungry individuals... His king really liked giving him work.

"...thinking about putting them down."

"No!" Gaster snapped, surprising the old man with the sudden energy he showed. "They saved my life. Wing didnt do anything wrong. It was my fault."

"Then while we wait for the ambulance tell me son, what happened on top of mount Ebott?"

For several moments Gaster felt like the old man wasnt speaking about the bite he had but something completely different. He didnt break eye contact as he answered the human.

"Joseph... I tripped, he bit me to save me. "

There was a heavy silence between him and the old man while they waited for the doctor to arrive. He needed stitches and strict bed rest. His leg bone was cracked and Gaster resisted to bet with the doctor that if they took a head to toe x-ray scan they may find a lot more cracked bones. He sure felt like there was at least 40 bones cracked.

He slept like a rock that night. The aching reminded him of a childhood memory. A time when he was trained how to use his magic. The snake like monster with silk voice telling him again and again if he was to be worthy to stand by their prince side he will have to know how to protect himself in a fight. Throwing him against the wall, when his bones were lazily made. Making him stand up and do it all over again and again, day and night and day and again until he mastered his magic.

The bone constructs plentiful across the field in front of him and beautifully shining against the full moon gentle light. The final step several floating skull blaster, howling at the moon dancing around each other as concentrated magic was fired up and towards the moon. "Those are beautiful!" The prince voice startling the skeleton, but the control of his magic never losing.

The following day, Joseph made spaghetti and tried to hold a conversation with him. Gaster put himself on autopilot, trying not to let any emotion rip away his control. In the night he started to work, once he made sure the grandpa was deep asleep. The blasters were sleeping in the garden.

He started his examination from the beginning.

" Report E-15: The barrier was really down. " His voice dictating, to make his thoughts clearer as well as to one day show it to his king or maybe let his followers pour over his findings.

"I have ground to believe that since the appearance of the anomaly the barrier has been broken more or less regularly. Each time it is taken down the instruments show an increase of magic in the surrounding air. The concentration of magic are becoming lower the further away from the mountain one gets. The weakest traces I have detected are in the outer rings of town. If this repeats often enough I project that the traces of magic may be found across all of the nearby region.

I will stop my research on breaking of the barrier. To save time and resources. It is evidently that the huma-...child Frisk has to do something with its success.

My focus will turn onto the following three subjects.

Number one. Undoing the anomaly, preferable in the moments when the barrier is down as well.  
Number two. Understanding what occurs in the underground.  
Number three. Do the groundwork so peace between humans and monsters is attainable.

As the royal scientist its still my duty to help in any way possible to free them and follow the wishes of the king, so number one and three are obvious. As for number two... In re watching of the camera material, I have spotted unusual behavior.

Sans did not try to short cut to the bottom of mount Ebott. Instead he was recorded to get out the view of others and lay down watching the sky. That behavior would not attract my attention if it was not to the fact he counted down till the moment the anomaly activated, indicating knowledge about not only existence but it behavior. Two moments before it activated he reacted as well. He looked surprised and turned his head in the direction where my Gaster blaster hit the anomaly wall.

He was always more sensitive to changes in magic around him and he may felt some of the magic leaking back thought the walls of the anomaly. This has to be further explored, a possible method of communication?

Papyrus was wearing a strange armor. It did not appear to be made for protection as his spine and neck were exposed... It did make him look quite cool, which is befitting for the great Papyrus. Especially the scarf and gloves were an excellent touch..." A cough of embarrassment filled the recording tape for a few moments. "What I was saying was beside the attire there was an unusual expression of hopping for Frisk to do, or perhaps not to do something?

Frisk, beside the fact that they want to be adopted by Toriel, which I will have to look into and make sure the social workers do not cause any problems to them, appeared to feel guilty. If they do or do not remember is yet to see. The wide range soul scan is not a method that guarantee exact results. But in this case I am confident enough to say Frisk soul is red, and they have a lot of determination.

My expectation from understanding of the happenings in Underground, are to form a theory that would explain the behavior of the determination keeping my soul together. As for now, I need to further recover before I continue observing this events in person. Recordings will have to be enough."

He limped to the kitchen where he warmed up the leftover spaghetti as a midnight snack. Spotting a bottle of ketchup he smiled at it. Seeing both of them was straining. He missed them so much. Would they recognize him if they saw him like this? So human?

A few days passed Gaster was working on a idea for Jeremy. It was big like he wanted it. Hopefully it would be enough for the man not to question him. Performing calculation in his mind he was nodding politly to the chatting Joseph was doing. The old man become so much more talkative since he got bitten. He preferred it before, when the man didnt want to say two words at once.

"...hearing monsters talk."

Gaster head snapped up, numbers jumbling up into a mess, his hands indicated what and repeat that please. The grandpa just kept on going.

"Our parents were furious that one night when they caught us. They would have skinned us alive if they knew where we were." Joseph laughed quite with mirth, while Gaster blinked a few more times. He surely misheard it.

"Monsters?" He tried to probe and bring the man back to the story he was telling.

"Yes, the monsters living under the surface of course."

He took a deep breath. "Of course...Didnt know monsters are real?" He phrased it as a question as good as he could. Joseph made a sound of annoyance.

"You young ones dont believe in them anymore, but let Grandpa Jo tell you... They are. They are as real as you and me. And they are under that mountain." Oh he didnt need confirmation that he was real. He didnt want to listen to Grandpa Jo any longer. He didnt want to hear the ramblings he was familiar from old people bashing on one group of other humans... how bad would it get with monsters?...

"I should be resting."

"...If they still are, that is where they would be." Joseph continued his thought and Gaster found himself unable to escape his curiosity. Licking his dry lips he tilted his head.

"Wouldnt we notice... if monsters were not in the Underground any longer?"

"You right, son. That surely would hit the news worldwide... Say do you know why they are under mount Ebott?"

Do not snap.

He slowly shock his head, taking measured breaths and keeping his polite smile in place. He knew exactly why they were sealed down there. He was there. He walked the path, he watched as the spell was being cast to hold them down there. A mercy and a prison. Slaughter or darkness of a cave.

"They once lived with us up here. But then a war started... and they lost. So seven families poured their souls into a spell to not allow them ever to leave." The man talked with a clear voice, as if he was telling a story he heard once long ago. Gaster stomach flipped, he remembered the hopeful voice of his king speaking of peace. It gave him determination to sit thought this. The man was not done, yet. "After that war humans had many more wars, sometimes doing unforgivable things to each other. Generation passed and the memory of the monsters slowly faded, becoming stuff of legends."

Interesting, Gaster mussed allowing detachment of a scientist to fill him and treat this as an experiment he was part of.

"I guess this town held onto the legends the longest. All of the old folks knows. Some of our children believe some do not. Our grandchildren... the young ones dont even know."

Silence settled, it was a uncomfortable silence demanding to be filled. "I see." Gaster opted to fill it with the small words.

"What do you think?" Joseph suddenly asked looking him directly in the eyes.

"Me?"

"Yes, what do you think about the monsters sealed underground."

"I..." I think its unfair, to walk by echo flowers and hear children whisper about their wonder if real stars look like the stones in ceiling. Having to constantly worry about resources, while keeping the hope up so monsters wouldnt fall down... Of course he couldnt say any of it. He assumed it was awaited he gives some form of affirmation to the man... Asgore wanted peace...

"The monsters on TV are quite scary..." He started, wanting to give a long winded opinion. Gently challenge the man. Hoping to talk him into a more favorable position towards monsters. He didnt await to be interrupted with the sound of a fist hitting the table. His body tensed and the memories of war still on his mind, made him look out for any signs of attack. he became hyper aware of the cracks on his bone, weaknesses he will have to cover and shield away.

"Liars, fake. That what media became this days. You cannot trust them at all..."Joseph calmed down, a sad look in his eyes. Gaster spine unwind a bit, still listening. "It was generation for them too, could be that no one from them remembers the war either." Not many did, but there were some who fought in the war, if one can even call it that, and some who were only children back then. "If a baby is born in jail, they are a free person, they can leave it and go out in the world... its just inhumane,to keep punishing their children childrens, you know son."

The man concluded, he looked quite helpless. Gaster couldnt stop himself as he pointed out with a scientist voice.

"But they are monsters, not humans..."

Again he was interrupted, this time by a half laugh from the human.

"Says the man who goes out his way to carry spiders out the house instead of stepping on them. " Gaster blinked, confusion his only emotion, unsure how that was relevant to anything they were just speaking about. It was too dangerous for those little ones to be in the house, because they could get unintentionally get stepped on. Joseph sadness retreated to show a genuine smile directed to him.

"Those old stories may be found in the archive of the town, but who cares about the history. Sorry son, that you had to endure a old man ramblings. You must be tired, let me help you out. You need rest."

And helped him, he did, it was even stranger. Joseph attitude changed somehow towards him and he wasnt exactly sure what changed or why? He talked more and was more helpful even decided to play with his blasters fetch. Gaster grew up with humans, believing he was human for a while and yet he still didnt get them at days like this.

If he went through history maybe he could make a plan how the peace would be possible? Joseph was napping and Gaster sneaked out the house. His leg not yet healed but he couldnt waste anymore days. He wanted to though the archives documents and put up the cameras back up so he could wait on the barrier to fall down again and to collect the recordings. Maybe it will happen faster this time, or slower?

The archive were... Dusty. He sat down and researched. Hours passed and he found nothing from actual interest. He was going for another box of old paper, his spine froze. Instincts of survival made him turn around ignoring the string in his leg, raising a roll of newspaper as if it was a valid protection.

"Sorry for startling you. I think this is what you are searching for."

Joseph.

Gaster lowered the yellowed newspaper and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He really has to finish with the past and let the war be behind him. He was about to take the book out the old man grasp but didnt. Stopping he looked up at him. Something wasnt adding up.

"...How would you know what I am searching for?"

"I am not sure if you are aware of it but...You are not behaving like a human, son." Joseph said as if he was apologizing for stating for something that was oblivious.

"Hehe, not sure what you mean I am hum-..."

Gaster started talking, yet again the old man interrupted him. He really liked doing that, it was highly annoying. His face twitched.  
"Is that how you all left underground? Are you all pretending to be humans? That would be nice." The man smiled wide, nearly like a child. Gaster eye twitched again, more prominent this time. Why brother pretending now? He apparently didnt behave human enough, which he wasnt sure what it meant. What would be more human?

"No. No one is free. "

"Oh..."

"Oh?" He snorted crossing his arms over his chest. "Oh is right. If you find it oh so nice, for us to be free why didnt you do anything about it, mm? Help us out but no. We were left in the Underground. I had wondered quite often if the humans hoped for us to rot away there." The determination was pulsing in rhythm with his words.

"Then I dont understand..." The man said his browns furrowing having enough sense not to meet gasters biting gaze.

"What is that? "

"The river, have you not noticed? The river was starting to pollute. Thats why I moved back here. The river would carry things to the monsters underground... When it stopped... we thought that maybe you all were just free and thats why nothing vanished anymore..."

The anomaly. The anomaly didnt let material things cross. Some magic may be forced though, but nothing new. Because the time inside is simple on loop. Timelines starting and stopping. It wouldnt make sense new trash coming in the system. With no where to vanish how the man said, the trash simple started accumulating...He was silent and Joseph offered the book again.

"Everyone is still trapped." Gaster responded to the gesture, not moving an inch himself, aware his voice was carrying a echo in it.

"This is coming several centuries too late but... Sorry for what has been done to your kind."

"Sorry? You dont have any idea to who are you even speaking to _grandpa Jo_."

That made the grey haired man laugh emptily. "Neither do you... How about we introduce our self?" Not the reaction he awaited.

Not seeing exactly any more damage coming from it he nodded and started first. He found the sentence too interesting to pass on the offer. Was the human hinting there was something special about him? "I am dr. W.D. Gaster the royal scientist. I fought alongside my king in the war. Even with our own records being left vague I still have clear memories of all the dust that was left behind. And who are you?" Gaster was aware he was grinning wide, challenging the man to say something more shocking than what he did just now. A witness who didnt forget, someone the human believed had to be long dead.

Joseph took a deep breath. "I am a direct blood line from one of the most powerful mage who lived. One of the humans who created the seal to keep monsters in. One of the seven families. The last family blood line that survived across time. My mother was the last person able to perform magic, she gave up her power and by doing so the wards that warned humans and made them avoid the mount Ebott, weakened if not fully vanishing. Because of what she did a child got lost and never returned. My name is Joseph, nice making your acquaintance dr. Gaster."

He wanted to take a nap, right about now. Preferable a nap that would last for a long time.

"Does... does Dave know about...this?" He waved his hand trying point at what was told to him.

"My grandson? No, he has no idea. Probably doesnt even know the story. Why is that your first question?"

"... Because it started because of him. "

"Have you considered it being fate?" Joseph told him, while he was trying to see how from all billions of humans on this planet his memory gets jogged by the one person whose ancestors sealed them off... Yet he wasnt aware of it so he shouldnt blame him and in the time he knew Dave... they were friends... Never even once did Dave done anything bad for him. Pushing him on parties sure, reminding him of the world around him when he was off to inventionland sure, butchering his pun deliver sure... He couldnt find it in himself to hate his friend. He didnt know, now that gaster knew...nothing should change between them.

"Karma has a sense for humerus things... Why did you tell me this in the first place?" The human in front of him, did not answer instantaneously. Instead the fingers twitched around the spoke again. "I wouldnt have found out if it wasnt of you saying. It was not a subject I seeked out. Yet you told me. Why? "

"... Maybe I in my old days hoped to help."

"Help?" Gaster cut the men response short. "That what we needed were seven human souls. If your help doesnt incline to let me kill you right here and now and take your soul..." He felt so determined, how dare a human even speak of helping? He moved closer letting his full height show. Tall he hoovered over the human who started hunching onto himself from the imposing figure in front of him. _They should die, so everyone else can be happy._

He froze.

That was _not_ his inner voice. He ... heard it before, on the mountain. Before he summoned the blaster. Paying attention he noticed the whispers of magic pulsing inside his whole being in time with his heartbeat. Gentle waves broken up by the just barely healed cracks. With no mercy he pushed the sensation away, the whispers retreated and collected to simply rest in the security of his ribcage. Losing control over his blaster in here would be devastating. So many books and old documents would be forever lost. The destruction of knowledge couldnt be ever forgiven!

Oh... yeah and he may die from it as well...

"You were searching for this. At least give it a look." He took the book moving pointedly away from the human and sat down on the only chair in the room. He opened it, it was hand written... A diary. A old diary. He skipped several pages, glancing over the words.

It was around the middle of a page when he slowed down. His finger reaching out, going under a name that was written there. A child got lost and never returned.

"Chara." He read the name aloud, small smile on his lips.

"Did you... know Chara?" The old man spoke from where he was left standing. Patiently waiting for Gaster to do something. Maybe awaiting for him to kill him?

"Everyone knew Chara, the hope of monster kind."

He moved his hand to his chest.

"Howdy! What you are doing there?" A child voice startled him. Looking over his elbow there was Chara, eyes shining and a smile decorating the face.

"Haven't I told you not to sneak up on me? I could have been working on something truly dangerous. Your mom would burn me into boney crisp if you got hurt." He pointed out putting down the wrench he was holding and moving a bit away from the machine he was repairing. Chara was poofing her cheeks quite adorably, hands held behind her back.

"I am not at fault you dont pay attention to your surroundings."

"Point for you." He admitted he always got absorbed in his work. Chara was looking over his work, but at least she remembered that inside the lab went the rule stare do not poke. "I was actually trying to make this converter work. It is supposed to transform electricity into magical electricity."

"Oh! Is that what blew up in your face two weeks ago? "

"Technically speaking it blew up in my back as it happened when I turned away from it."

She giggled. "Asriel and me never saw Dad rant like that. I think my bro learned a few new words that time."

"...Oh dear. Please neither of you use them. Ever."

"You dont know what it even was!"

"I would prefer not to find out. So I can plead obvious."

Chara chuckled happily and his skeletal hand was gripped and he was tugged away from his work bench. "What are you doing there Chara?"

"Dad says you work too much so I am making sure you take a break." Gaster eyes narrowed, Chara was avoiding to look at him, the cheeks slightly blushing.

"Its not nice to lie... and you are really a bad liar." He used his other hand to ruffle the brown locks. "Why did you search me out? Has Toriel made a snail pie again?" Chara shock her head and determinately looked up at him.

"I read something... and I hoped if you could explain it to me please?" He couldnt say no to those determined eyes. Knowing Chara, they may simple cling to him literally like a monkey until he yields. He was speaking from experience. She did that until he admitted they were friends. Asriel and Asgor had a blast watching his poor misfortune. He picked the young human and a pillow, placing the pillow in his lap and then Chara on top of it. Bones were not the most comfortable sitting option. Hugging Chara to make sure they were secure, he meet their gaze.

"So ask away, you know I love explaning."

"You are working on breaking the barrier, right?"

He nodded, that was a fact.

"And I read this thing... It spoke about monster being able to absorb human soul but a human couldnt..."

"Chara." Gaster cut the kid off, his mind racing trying to figure where did Chara possible could have read that. They were still debating if the history should be put up on the walls or not.

"mm?"

"You should ask you parents such things."

"We both know they wouldnt explain anything that is related to war... and this is. Because if monster had just one back then..."

"Chara stop." He heavily sighed. What should he say. If Asgor and Toriel were asked they would shot the question down. He... wasnt sure what the right course of action was. "What exactly do you want me to explain?"

"Human souls." When Chara was meet with silence, she continued, attempting to explain why they wanted to know it. "If I understood how human souls work maybe I could figure out how to help you in your research in breaking the barrier. Then we all could be happy. Please, doctor Gaster. I just want to help."

"I... I dont really know that much."

"Huh?"

Chara stared at him now. "You mean it... " Two soft hands placed them self on his skull stopping him from looking away. He ended up explaning how he was planning to do his research. Passively observing, making small attempts and trying to see how the barrier may change and react to different fabricated traits. Tricking the barrier so it would shatter.  
He grow more and more passionately as he explained all the knick and knacks of his ideas. Chara urging him with clever questions. Before he realized what he did, he slipped up. Saying not only seven souls were needed but that he wished he had a sample of a human soul trait he could research.

"Silly Doctor Gaster. A human soul is sitting in your lap. Literally." He wondered, if he that time didnt tell Chara all that, if the path they took would have been different... Who was he kidding Chara was too determined to ever settle for the small hopes and moments of happiness. If not from him Chara would have found a different way to do the same thing. Because it was the only way to give the ultimate happiness to them all.

"I dont want..." He protested, at the human sitting in his lap.

"I dont want to ever again let a monster fall down because they lost hope... " The words hit him hard, they couldnt stop Chara from seeing it. There were always monsters who only needed a little to fall. Chara made it her job to get to know every monster together with Asriel... Seeing one monster slowly loss hope till the children failed to light the hope back up. Chara saw dust...Someone who was so determined to not let anyone be hopeless, so determined to bring everyone happiness, he was sure the child will never forget it. The monster that couldnt be saved.

"... I know, but..."

"...Is my soul not strong enough?"

"No, no,no! Your soul is strong. In fact it overflows with strength. Sampling that would be exactly what I need to..."

"So do it."

"No."

"I am not asking you to take my soul just take a sample of the trait."

"There exist no procedure for extraction soul traits." There that way he surely will stop this.

"What? Can the Great WingDing Gaster not come up with a safe way to do it? I thought there was nothing you couldnt do. Being the greatest mind that ever lived. Or have you been telling lies."

Gaster couldnt help the proudful response that came from him. Neither the groan when he realized he was losing to this kid determination.

"So you take a few samples, then make ... six copies of my souls and then everyone is free. Great!" Chara summarized when it looked like he was about to say yes to poking around in his kings and queens child soul.

"Seven."

"Hm?"

"If we do this, I am not gonna risk your soul if it fails. So seven copies, how you eloquently put it."  
Chara looked so happy. It filled him with hope that maybe this will work out and in a matter of months they would be stargazing. Maybe he would whisper to the echo flowers about the changes in the night sky after all the time... Was the sky still as blue as he remembered it?

"Go home now and really think about the risks Chara. If you offer this one more time... I will not be able to say no to it."

Two weeks passed, Chara offered it once more.

He lead Chara in the deepest levels of the labs. A room with only a doctors chair inside, a place for Chara to comfortably lay down. He strapped Chara to it to make sure there was no unintentional wiggle. He was not going to risk unintentional damage. He was going to work with the culmination of Chara. He could feel the phantoms flames from the queen on his bones as he moved away.

Next he started to summon the blaster gaster around the chair. Chara being safely protected in the heart of the bone attack.

No mistakes.

"Huh, what are you doing?"

"Ah, you see this is my strongest magic, the closest magic to my own soul. It usually a way to attack but I have done special changes this time." His office was full of the calculation upon calculation about the changes he had to train to perfection for this to work. "This way I am surrounding you in my magic, I will be able to detect when I should stop. It will monitor you well being. If you feel any pain tell me. I will stop the same instant." The kid nodded, stating they were more than fine with this. Gaster took a breath and started the procedure.

Chara was determined, determined enough to not let him notice how painful the procedure really felt. To not discourage him, to even urge him to keep on going. Until he decided it was enough.

"Are you sure you didnt feel anything painful?"

"Well..."

"Yes?!"

"It was a tiny bit of uncomfortable, but I did have a needle stabbed in my soul." Chara showed their tongue laughing. Maybe he was panicking over nothing.

"Okay. You should go, its soon dinner time. I want to be called if you as much as sneeze differently. Understand?" Chara nodded giving him a promise that if they sneezed he would be the first one to know. Gaster chuckled. He started cleaning up, looking at the bottle full of liquid determination he extracted. He made sure the kid got some monster candy already. Chara didnt show any signs of fainting or weakness so it had to be fine.

"WOW!" Chara voice sounded from the hallway and a short cut later he was beside them. His hands on the child's shoulders fearful something did went wrong.

"Are you in pain? Where does it hurt? What is your hp?"

"No. Look! Look!" A over flemming expression of joy was on Chara face pointing towards their eyes. The RED eyes. The eyes that were not RED two minutes ago.

"...Oh no. No. No. No. No. No."

"This is the best thing ever! Now I actually match with my family!" He was hugged, he was disarmed.

"... I suspect some of the red determination leaked out into your human body...staining your eyes..."

It was darker, the lights were off and he was hurrying. He will only have once chance. His hand was opening a safe. There were holes in his hands. There was a lab flask with red fluid. He was keeping this on the side, using only what they produced based of this in the research and experiments. This was the original sample. He took more than three fourths of it in the injection. The long needle shimmered in the darkness.

It surely would raise the chance. It was a precious sample.

"you ready g?"

It had to work.

"Yes."

A light touch on his shoulder scared him. Looking wide eyed to the side. A human. His fingers curling into the shirt over his heart. The determination inside him... could it possible have a intent of its own? Impossible it was only a sole trait...from the most determined human he ever saw...

Trait that behaved nearly on its own something he never observed before... Imitating a human soul so his own soul wouldnt dust...Not letting him die. Not allowing him to fall down. Because it was the kids will to not allow it if they could stop it. If a monster needed a friend that what would be, if a monster needed a person to listen to them to have hope that what they would do. If a monster was trying to find someone who would love them they would play match maker... It would be extremely interesting, if that was really the case. If the trait carried a will...but that would mean the implication...his tests, all the experiments he performed on the determination...

"I had just a realization."

Joseph let him go, as he looked scared and worried. Maybe even terrified. It took Gaster a few seconds to replay the conversation before a puzzle piece slapped him in the face. Ah yes, he kinda threatened the man. He sighed closing the book.

"Chara was our hope, somehow maybe still is...As for me. I only perform my kings will. I serve my king. What do you think our king greatest desire for today would be?" Gaster calmly asked, dealing with the present first before he tackled more of the past.

"Justice for monster kind?" The human responded with out taking a moment to think. The doctor wondered if the human soul was yellow.

"That is a truly human response... But you are wrong. That is not our kings desire. Peace between human and monsters, that is. And foundation of peace will not be your corpse. " The man posture relaxed a bit as he was told he wouldnt die today. Instead a confusion settled in.

"You said you needed seven souls..."

"Needed, not need. I will free them." Was there seven? He simple didnt know how the barrier actually breaks. But it does break and therefore it was not what he had to worry about. "... I must apologize... It was not right of me to snap like that. I was carried by old memories long past... I was just a bit bitter. You must understand. I am fully aware how many down to the bone evil humans are living on the surface... But there are so many who are striving for the better every day and to be better. So many who are willing to show mercy... It is worth a shot."

"... Peace. Think it possible son?"

"Depend, Josephs. Would you hope for it together with me?" Gaster allowed a much softer smile to settle on his face. The warm feeling that the memory about Chara woke up in him filled him with a determination to never stop hoping.

* * *

Construction of the lab started. The breaking of the barrier became more irregular. Sometimes it would only 3 hours and once it took twelve days. His tries to make a magic electricity generator to push magic in the anomaly as a way of communication was a failure. The generators would always burn out before they reached the levels of magic needed. He would need a lot more of it, for it to work. Maybe he could repurpose his blaster for it, but he left that project for once his lab was build.

He did recorded a few differences, for one that once Sans was out of everyone's view he was actually sitting facing in the direction where the blaster hit that first time. He did it a few timelines before going back to counting. He had some memories of different timelines or some form of awareness. Deja vu? It pained him that he couldnt give him proof that he didnt imagined it. Gaster very well knew how it felt doubting your own sanity.

The human was changing his answer to Asgor question, sometimes accepting to be ambassador sometimes saying no and recommending Papyrus instead of them. They must be remembering it or at least have some form of memory.

In his detailed scan of all of Ebott he discovered a network, one powered by magical electricity, while transporting signals. It took him only minutes to realize the implication and be really pleased with who ever made it. Someone put cameras across all of the underground. Minus the ruins sadly. Someone gave him eyes to the underground he just had to learn how to use them from the outside.

He was inventing a way to tap into it. Which lead him to research spying and hacking tools. Several of his ideas he adapted for Jeremy to use. Small works on security that surely would prove useful to a extent. He created security software and tools to break into the same software for him.

The lab was done as well as the six months were.

Jeremy knocked on the door of his new workplace. Wing and Ding barking at the door and at Gaster, to drag him out his focus zone and make him pay attention to the world around him. Gaster sighed putting on the glasses he worked the most recently on. A way to scan human souls by simple looking at them. The data projected on the inside of the glasses only for the wearer to notice.

He opened the door. The scanner taking readings.  
Directly to the left from the front door was the guest room.

"The rest of the place is under deal." Gaster instantly spoke. Jeremy soul was Perseverance with a strong tint of bravery. Most likely the reason why he was putting up with the deal in the first place.

"Well, That is if we decide to keep the deal after I walk out your nice furnitured guest room... Okay before anything this room looks like a interogation ceil. You dont even have a carpet. "

"... I run out of money..." Gaster admitted, pushing the glasses up before removing them to not bring attention to them.

"You... fine. But if there is a next time make this room nicer looking. A couch a smaller table. Maybe a TV and a few chairs. A lamp, the white light isnt the best."

Gaster nodded, he really wanted to get this over with he was close to manage to tap into the visual data, the anomaly and barrier making it quite annoying work. He placed a file in front of Jeremy. The man looked it over. "Rocket fuel and interstellar reusable rockets, included with concept ideas on how to maintain a colony..." Jeremy spoke aloud glancing at the calculation and then back at Gaster.

"You said big."

"I didnt mean space big."

"NASA would like it."

The human rubbed his forehead warding off an oncoming headache. He planned for the situation that the idea was not what Jeremy wanted from him.

"I have other projects... That may be differently big?"

"Show them to me."

So he did, it didnt look good. Many files were by that point on the table and jeremy has read through them only to shake his head. Gaster was starting to fear that he wouldnt be able to make the human to keep the deal. He couldnt let him just leave... He could use a soul for researcher proposers. Would he be strong enough to even do it? He couldnt take down a dog... killing Jeremy sounded like a receipt that will fail... He didnt even once made the human speechless or got him to have an eager look. "Do you have anything else."

"Just a small project. "That last thing he worked, he could as well give it to the man. He fet determined to not lat the human walk out without their deal intact..."A security program that will not be able to break for at least two years, or when you tell me to crack it."

"Yes."

The monster in the room looked now up. He was startled, hope raising up in him. "That?"

"Yes, that. "

"Not that I complain. But that is really small."

"No Gaster that huge!... And wait a second since when are you making software?"

"Since two weeks ago."

Jeremy was speechless, Gaster shrugged. Good, everything ended up good. He didnt have to do any violence to protect the secret. The surface world wasnt ready for souls and magic. "I mentioned that I was a genius. The greatest mind that ever lived. The one and only Great dr. Gaster!..."Gaster blinked realising he was striking a pose and coughed in his hand, the human was giving him a interesting look. He dropped the pose, slightly embarrassed.

Jeremy shock his head, to get back into their conversation. "Okay, okay. Give me both the way to crack the software and the security program. That will be enough to keep _that_ under deal. We can go after that into our rhythm. You think you can do that, friend."

Of course he said yes.

Wing and Ding barked Jeremy a goodbye which the human pointedly ignored as he was happily driving away with his next big money maker. Gaster didnt made any protest as the man packed all the no projects as well with himself. Just in case, Jeremy said and the monster didnt know in case of what... but it didnt matter anyhow. With that out the way he truly could throw himself in his work. Naps, spaghetti, work. Gaster felt incredible pride when the screen in front of him blinked from black to a blue and then settled into many shades of blue. Waterfall.

He was looking at Waterfall.

He was watching from now on.

In a day he had written the lip reading software to be able to hear what was going on.

He had something to see and hear. Following the human he noticed how many things were different since the last time he walked down there... Papyrus wanted to be a royal guard? Since when? He didnt get to dwell on it as Frisk throw him a curveball. He was not ready to hear the human flirt with his son. Nope, not at all. Even less to see them go on a date inside the house! Inside Papyrus room, no less! What was Sans allowing that dirty minded human to do to their Pappy!

He didnt hold back his urges to yell at the screen.

Wing and Ding were woken up by his screams, observing the man for a few seconds before they yawned and went back to sleep. They were used to him being loud out of nowhere.

He so wanted a camera angled to look into that bedroom. But there was none pointed in that direction, so he didnt know what was happening inside it. He wasnt sure if his poor soul was ready to see or not to begin with. He knew what human awaited to happen when you go on a date and end in a bedroom. The humans had millions of data points on the internet about that topic. He was not proud to have done research about it in his teenage days. Even less to admit that curiosity takes you to some deep holes on the internet. Humans truly had a fearsome imagination.

He collapsed with zero dignity to his knees from relief when he heard that Frisk was friend zoned by his son and should call them platonically for help... What a relief. They stayed several days around snowdin, all but searching out his sons company. Something was up with Frisk, watching them he was sure they were collecting their determination for something.

When they moved on, he started rooting for them. They did it so many times they were avoiding attacks with eyes closed, muscle memory to the point of second nature honed. They arrived to the labs, and he wasnt the only one rooting for them over the screen. Alphys was the royal scientist? She put the cameras up? He had to give her his thanks for it. He planned to employ them back then... or did he employ them? He couldnt remember. Not a single of his followers were around the labs either, it worried him. Then he realized with a sinking feeling... They didnt remembered him at all. He created so much more than just the core. He didnt just fall in his own creation, he fall apart in his own creation...

Yet he was a mystery to them.  
Then he saw what has been done with the determination he left behind.

"Oh, no..."

If his newest theory was correct, than the determination wasnt the reason the monsters were saved from falling down, it was because it was Charas determination to not let monsters falls down. To save them all. The side effects were not pretty. The lizard monster, must have discovered all of his work and poured over it. Replicating and building according the blueprints he left. Did Sans and Papyrus gave up on even being around the lab after his ...accident? It would explain his son knew life goal... He replaced one idol in service to the king with another. Instead of wanting to be the next royal scientist because of him he was aiming for royal guard, because Undyne. He was replaced... It hurt... yet... he knew his son needed it, or he wouldnt have any ambition... Sans was still idolizing his brother. That being the force that made him move... Yet he looked so tired. Gaster was sure if both of them loved naps, Sans wasnt napping that much in his hole filled memory.

He watched.

He listened.

He observed.

The kid was mercyfull.

They moved on and on, Frisk eyes becoming more and more determined...briefly he saw them shine red... He rewind. It was not his imagination. Frisk souls main trait was determination just like Chara... Was it leaking in their body as well? If so, how did their soul got hurt? Would it carry over even if the time jumps back?

They reached the king.

A flower appeared, trapped everyone and absorbed the souls. He watched. Only the calm expression on the kids face told him this happened before. He saw how it ends, with them seeing the sun. Everything will be fine... somehow. It was still nerve wrecking watching, if he wasnt a scientist he may have failed to notice the soul behaviour during the fight...It was another proof of his most recent theory. If he..

Asriel?

Their little gentle prince? It couldnt be. He couldnt... He remembered the timelines as well...He played with them before?! Was this the second time the anomaly has appeared?! Than which anomaly di he spotted in his lab? The first or the second? Asriel was killing over and over until they get erased from time?! Gaster had trouble to stay the neutral observer. This information were so ...game changing. Frisk was holding the power?

Frisk won.

Frisk was mercifully.

Their little gentle prince was back.

Asriel broke the barrier.

Asriel would fade away.

Was there anything he could do for the prince who awoke because of determination but lacked a soul... It was able to imitate a soul not to replace it. He had a functioning soul able to experience feelings, from fear to hope, so the determination wouldnt have to replace those. Instead it was supporting it... It was just one trait... Frisk wanted to save Asriel...

He switched to the cameras outside the anomaly walls. Watching everyone walk out. He had to focus. He had an experiment prepared, humans had some bombastic ideas he took inspiration from. The moment Sans walked out the view he pressed a button. Sans head snapped to the nearest anomaly wall. Exactly where the boom happened. He shortcutted directly in front it. He pressed the next button overloading the electricity to magic electricity convertors creating a big boom. The amount of half baked magic would evaporate in a second, but the amount of it in that second was enough for some of it to leak by the anomaly, a few drops leaked through the barrier. Sans eyes blinked, bony fingers reaching out touching the anomaly wall.

Gaster waited. He had to time it.

"who is there?"

Not a question he could answer with a boom. Gaster waited.

"...hehe. if there is someone, do it again... now." So Gaster pressed the button on the now. Sans broke out into giggles. Holding his ribs as he all but cackled, eyes tearing up. That was not a good reaction, it worried him. His son looked so tired. "This is a really funny reset, but out of time." Indeed they were out of time the anomaly took them away, and this time he was able to observe something he was already suspecting from watching Frisk journey. From hearing flowey... asriel words.

Frisk controlled the resets how sans called them. They were resetting the world. They kept everyone captured by being so determined to save trully everyone. He had to change his approach to the anomaly. To break it...he had to stop Frisk.

"This will be a problem. Based on my experience with too determined for their own good type of children."


	4. Chapter 4

"This will be a problem. Based on my experience with too determined for their own good type of children."

* * *

He switched to the camera in front of the ruins door. Four weeks passed.

It was worrying, maybe they were taking a break? He doubted he saw them collecting determination for something. He observed Sans being more focused than last reset. He knew now someone was out there. Gaster hoped it gave his son hope. He spend a lot of time in the basement. Was he working on something? If so why didnt he pull his brother in for extra help?

He noticed another thing as well. Flowey. Spend a lot of time with Papyrus alone. Being their friend, at times dropping hints about the times they controlled and played with everyone lives like their puppets. The flower was thinking himself to be so clever, he didnt realize that the skeleton was dropping hints as well. Hints wrapped in innocent and childlike statements about the fact that he remembered it and still believe in good. That even after all those he was their friend. Believed everyone can change for good. Gaster caught onto them, he was the greatest genius alive... and he knew both skeleton to their last bone.

The child left the ruins but something was different about them.

It was not until their fight with the guard dogs he realized. They gained LV. They killed someone. His stomach turned. They did it once...Maybe it was a mistake...why not restart then to fix the mistake?...

That was not good at all.

The barrier didnt break that reset. Instead Frisk hid away in the caves of the waterfall. Simply waiting. Sometimes Frisk would walk covered in a hood, pretending to be related to the river person. Waiting for time to pass... Gaster realized that the child was observing the result of their actions.

The cave they hide in had a hidden camera, allowing him to observe them in return. It didnt look good. Frisk looked heart broken and many hours the kid was doing nothing but crying. Taking books to their hid out to read to distract them self when they were not curling on them self.

A voice message from Sans made the kid determination return in their eyes. It nearly appeared that simple hearing the other voice talking to them was enough. Restarting again.

It took just a over day for Frisk this time to leave the ruins. No exp gained...Yet. Gaster hands couldnt stay still so they started tinkering and building. The fight against Papyrus was different. It lasted longer, a lot longer. Then suddenly and with no real warning Frisk flirted once more. Putting things back in track. It was so out of nowhere that Gaster wondered if Frisk changed their mind about something.

Again the date.

Again the friend zone.

Did the kid do that every chance? Was that why Sans wasnt panicking and protecting him against the potential vile humans intentions. Because Frisk never hurt Papyrus? Things went more or less the same, he set up another rows of convertors against the wall, fully awaiting for the barrier to fall.

It didnt.

Frisk killed Asgore... Frisk killed his king.

Once more he spotted Frisk in the cave and observing the underground.

The new pattern started to repeat. The kid would kill one or a few monster that entered fights with them. For now if a monster didnt fought them it appeared the kid wouldnt focus on them, or attempt to be the one starting the fight... Then see how things go, letting time run. Sans would after a while leave a voice message, and in matter of hours to a few days after that message Frisk would reset. The scientists inside Gaster mind was steeling itself for the reset he knew would come. The rest of him denied the possibility the kid would do that. Not after so many first dates and so many friend zoning.

The scientist was right.

Frisk on the screen avoided another silly bone attack. "...Sorry." The kid said, before Frisk started to fight back. Determination be cursed, they didnt stop until Papyrus fall apart to dust.

Strangely enough Gaster felt completely empty inside. He didnt even heard the howling that Wing and Ding started. He was so empty as if he was the one who fall to dust and is now not feeling anything. Calmly he stood up. Walking out the observation room covered with screens uppon screens. Across the workshop which was littered with inventions of all kind. All the tinkering he had done while watching was here. From the new model of phone, to exoskeleton and robots. He wandered into a small room that was his kitchen.

A big fridge as he preferred to buy food in big bulks. A microwave and a oven, and a dishwasher. There was no table just one chair and two dog bowls. He filled up the dog bowls to the brim with dry food. Probably the only reason he ate semi regular. Wing and Ding didnt give it a glance as they kept howling and whining as if they were dying. So annoying. Why do they not leave him alone already? Why were they bumping against his legs for attention. He was fine.

Out the cabinet he pulled a bottle and a coffee cup. Daves present for moving in, a fine bottle of scotch. He rarely drank alcohol, he disliked what it did to his mind. He filled the coffee cup half full with the ember fluid. It had a seriously strong eyed the cup, and looked back at the bottle. Placing the cup down Gaster swung the bottle to his lips. He didnt stop gulping until it was empty.

His neck was aflame, gagging and coughing from the strength of the fluid.

He howled himself.

The next day he awoke after noon and on the floor. In his life he noticed this position, on the floor, surrounded with a mess, was happening a few times more than he liked to admit. Light hurt, thinking hurt, feeling hurt, breathing hurt. He felt alive. Dead things do not hurt. Painful alive. Tracks of dried tears broke up on his face as he winced. The kitchen was broken, there was no other word for it. He demolished it with his two hands. Hands covered in scars and bruises. The kitchen knifes were melted into an unusable mess... He will need to buy a new set...Maybe a set that didnt look like knifes...

With a hangover bulldozing most of his higher brain function he sat down and tinkered and coded until he had a way to access the raw footage wherever he went. He opened the door to his car. Two bumps into his legs made him look down. Wing and Ding were staring at him. He stepped out the way and the blasters jumped in the car. How did they stayed unharmed during his rampage was beyond him.

He drived.

He arrived.

He parked.

Opening the door of the car he let the blasters out who run up to the front door and barked at it to be opened as if their life or Gaster life depended on it. He was fine.  
He picked up his things and with mechanical steps joined the blasters at the door. He didnt get to press the bell as the door opened.

"Son, what a surprise, what brings...what happened?" His foster father stared at the man who was shaking with suppressed emotions, or was it the cold? It didnt help that the lack of proper rest was evident as well on his face as on his cloths. They were ripped and dirty, a few spots smeared from his bloody hands. Wing and Ding whined at his legs, attempting to nuzzle their heads against him.

"Could I work from here for the next few days?"

"Work? "His foster father blinked at him, it appeared as if he was about to say something else but then stepped out the way inviting Gaster inside. "Sure, you could rest as well. Come in. Your mom is out with her book reading club. I will call her."

"I am fine."

"No you are not. Or you wouldnt be here to begin with. Sit down on the couch and pet your blasters. Poor WingDings are dying from worry about you. You look like you crawled out a grave."

Gaster chuckled at that, it was a weak sound. He obeyed. It was easy to follow someone's orders. Nearly nostalgic. He connected the TV with his most recent work and the screen came to life. Seeing frisk send him into flinching. The dogs by his side growled menacing at the TV. He rewinded, he had to know what was happening to Sans. Did he already found out? How would he take it. He should know it wasnt permanent... they are resets... his brother will be back.

Maybe he didnt find out. He so hopped the reset hit before Sans finds out.

On the screen was once more Frisk fighting. He watched barely able to detach himself.

"What are you watching there?"

"My work..."

"Son, you shouldnt be working when you look like a zombie statue. Skeletons have more face expression than you now. " His foster father said and Gaster burst out into a fit of unhealthy giggles. That was really funny. He couldnt stop the sound of laughing that was pouring out of him. He was suffocating on the sound. Maybe the lack of air will kill him?

A slap to his cheek.

The stinging and sudden sensation shock his brain ceil. He went silent.

Gaster slowly looked up to the human in the room. Hand still raised his foster father looked utterly terrified. Of him?... No for him. A feeling of guilt wrapped itself around him, and the scientist took deep breaths. His eyes went to the screen just in time to see the body crumble away to dust. "I cannot say it a second time. Once mother is here... Until then I need to watch this."

"Okay son...Can I watch with you or is this some secret stuff?"

Gaster slightly shifted on the sofa creating room for his human parent to join him. He wouldnt understand a thing about what was going on anyway. There was no harm he watched, probably will give up on it soon enough... But for now just having him beside him. The hand on his shoulder, he felt the care pouring out the man. It kept his soul from breaking. Memories of his children days and nightmares during lighting storms flashed in the back of his mind. The familiar sensation of comfort filled him with determination.

Sans meet Frisk after the fight, but was not aware of what has trespassed. The conversation at Grilbies went the same. The kid dared to smile and wave Sans off.

Sans left the Snowdin home looking confused. Of course a different path. Papyrus could not be home to tell his brother about how the fight went. Because he was dust in the snow. Sans short cutted around the underground. It took a tracking software to switch cameras when he moved from one place to another, to not lose him.

His foster mother arrived, her husband showed her to be silent and pointed to the screen. What the man understood was that something was happening on the screen which was important for their son.

Sans walked towards the place his brother and Frisk fought. "He already knows...just dont wants to believe it." Gaster idly commented, eyes not moving from the screen. The battle body was in the snow.

Sans fell to his knees, shaking as he reached out to the scarf. "hey bro, this isnt a funny joke."

"Sans...My Sansy..."

"no. no. no. no. no." The skeleton on the screen broke out in tears holding onto the scarf. Bones rattling from his sobs and emotions.

"why him!? he never did anything to you. so why, why did frisk do this him?!"

Gaster heard his own voice respond to the question he knew wasnt and couldnt be possible directed to him. "It was the next experiment. He was the only one who fought them and had yet not been denied mercy."

He saw fear crawl its way to his sons eyes. "Yes, I know Sans. What if they leave it like this? What if they do not reset this time?...I will not let them leave things like this. There will be a reset... and I am quite sure this actions will not give them the results they desire."

He was wrapped in a hug. His foster mother was kissing the top of his head and with so much gentleness and kindness looked at him. "Gaster... Who is Sans to you?" She asked softly. He looked at the screen where his son was falling apart screaming for his brother. It hurt. He wished he could wrap his hands around him and be there.

"Mom, dad." He pointed to the screen. "Meet Sans. He is my son." His voice cracked with emotion as he determinedly continued. "The pile of dust over which he cries was Papyrus. He was my son." The hug tightened, the unspoken what happened vibrated around in the air. "Yes, they are both skeletons, because they are monsters. ...I guess they are your grandchildren in a way..."

It was his father who spoke then.  
"...I believe you. I dont know how that is even possible. But I know you are telling the truth...Is...Is this live?"

"Its recording taken during my blind rage in which I broken my kitchen into pieces." He felt tears drip on his cheeks, how strange he was sure he had no tears left. He felt more than heard a stifled sob and realized his foster mother was the one crying. He pet her and let him go trying to control her emotion. To distract them both and maybe himself he pressed a few buttons and switched cameras until he spotted Frisk.

"This is now live."

She was singing with a monster. Last time Sans would make a concert and sell tickets. "He is watching them sing." His foster father instantly noticed pointing to a hooded figure with the scarf.

"He is keeping a eye socket at Frisk."

"The fish um...monster?" His mother voice, spoke. Clearly aware that name was spoken by the skeleton in the recording.

"No, mother the human child named Frisk who killed my son."

"That welp?!" His father jumped in complete horror, unable to understand this at all. Gaster didnt care, he was determined to keep on watching.

"But, but they are so young and... they look so sweet." She was struggling with that idea as well.

"Frisk is a really determined child." He didnt understand himself and why he moved to press the buttons. It was irrelevant. Yet he played a fight where Frisk showed mercy and how Papyrus reacted. And back to back allowed the most recent fight with no mercy to his son to play out.

"I thought maybe it was a mistake but... that look in their eyes... damn. The kid knew exactly what it was doing." His foster father run his hand across his hair.

"Gaster, you should stop. Take a break. This cannot be healthy." His foster mother worried about him reaching out to guide him to him old bedroom. He shock his head.

"This is my work."

"What? Watching you kid get murdered by a kid is your job?!"

Gaster throw a warning glare to his foster father and his outburst. The screaming was not doing good things to his headache.

"My job. Is. To. Free. Them." He pointedly said an echo in his voice hands moving in strong and pointedly ways.

"One of your sons died!? No one can await you to be able to perform work!"  
Gaster shock his head, the screaming was causing the lingering hangover to remind him it was still there. He wanted to nap. So desperately he wanted to nap, and embrace the dark.

"Its fine. He will be back."

"He is dead!"

"Dad! ..."The headache was making it so hard to think. He had to make him stop screaming. " please... Papyrus will be back... the human... Frisk has the power to... rewind time." Those words worked and sounded close enough. He felt like he would fall over. The determination was bringing sparks to his hope."This shouldnt affect me in the first place. My son will be back... But I have to watch over Sans. He... he can remember partially what happened before. I must..."

"I will watch." His mother voice cut the conversation in the room like a hot knife. Gaster winced at the word. He probably should avoid the k word just for a while until it stops stinging. "I will watch over my grandson. Go sleep. I promise I will wake you up if anything happens. Show me how to work this thing." There was the no nonsense voice from his mom.

The gentle green was glowing with red. He couldnt fight this fight so he obeyed. It made it all easier. He showed how it works and went to sleep. Somehow trusting the two humans with his most treasured project. The blasters followed him to bed and curled up on top of him. They warmth making him fall asleep swiftly.

* * *

He slept for a full day.

When he awoke he felt the lingering effect of alcohol gone. Then he felt utterly stupid for what he did. Why by Asgore beard did he ever thought going to his foster parents was a good idea. Not only that but he gave them to watch the Underground. They couldnt possible understand the monsters... _Even if they raised one?_ He wondered briefly...

No that was the point. He wasnt thinking not even for a moment. He simply acted. He never going to drink again. Gaster grunted and slowly stood up, Wing and Ding yawned and jumped to the floor. Both of them giving him worried looks. "I am fine." He snapped at them. They didnt care. Sitting in the bed he wondered what should his next steps be. Preferable he should return back to the lab. Fix the mess he made.

His foster parents would at one time find out about about monsters. Especially once everyone is free. They may or may not find out about him being a monster... Should he tell them? Should he leave without an explanation? Or should he stop and pretend he was in a drunken stupor back then. It wasnt that far from the truth. Then again they were just now staring at the underground and who knows what they were finding.

He felt like fourteen year old all over again. Faced with a puzzle that looked bigger than life... Asgore wanted peace with the humans... Showing Frisk killing experiment was anything but a good introduction to monster kind. He stood up. He had to repair at least that. Collect his things and then leave.

Slowly Gaster made his way down. He heard Undyne voice from the TV. Both of them were sitting in front of it. Wing greeted them with a bark. Gaster rolled his eyes at the dog.

"Afternoon son. " His mother greeted him softly. The bags under her eyes told him she didnt sleep. "I think, Frisk. Used those rewind powers you mentioned. But she went only a few minutes back at time."

"Frisk does that... "

"Undyne and I would sure get along. She gets how ass kicking should be done. And who earned it." His father commented and Gaster blinked slightly off balance. He didnt await a comment like that. His mother picked up. He awaited hate, disgust, not understating... He didnt await a I like that monster...

"Sans went to fire bartender place. He drunk a lot of bottles of ketchup... He looked slightly wasted, he slept there as well."

"Thank you." He responded. "I should be going back to my lab, take my work with me..."

"Could you stay?"

"Yes listen to your mother, stay here until that welp turns the clock all the way back. Or how ever it works." It was so strange, Gaster leaned against the wall his arms crossing.

"You both are taking this quite well. Strange powers, monsters. Your son being the father two skeletons because he is one himself,just got some adds on..."

His father hands shock before he firmly grabbed his knees. "Believe me we are both freaked out...but we know you. We trust you. If you behave like this is normal. Well, Great dr. Gaster then it is... Maybe I wish you told us earlier about the fact I am grandpa. Your mom sure dreamed about spoiling her grandchildren."

"...Its complicated." Gaster attempted, and his foster mother gave him the look he knew oh so well. The look that told him she would take away all the tools away if he assume them to be stupid.

He sat down on the chair to the side, thinking how to start. His eyes moving towards the screen. Frisk was sitting in the boat from the river person. The soft melody was soothing, until the melody became words.

"Beware of the man who talks in hands." The person sang catching Gaster attention. "Tra la la Beware of the man who came from the other world."

"Dont you know its rude to talk about someone who is listening." Gaster snapped at the screen before his eyes widened. "Is this live?"

His father nodded eyeing slightly, he was definitely creeped out by the screen. Gaster was utterly fascinating. Why would the river person warn Frisk about him? Well they had to beware because he was a hurting father at the moment. Seeing them now he wasnt sure what he would do to the kid. But to the underground he may as well not have existed. Only tidbits from him left, but no memories. Believing him dead. But here it was the river person talking as if he was alive and as if knew what Frisk was doing has been seen by him.  
How would they know. What was going on down there?

"Gaster." His father spoke.

"Hm?" His hand moved finger twitching adding to the sound, the meaning of what is bothering you.

"The talking in hands part... Please tell me they meant someone else." His father voice shivered.

"No they meant me. I had a reputations like that. The second part makes sure of it. Because there is no other monster who is coming from a world outside the underground."

The next few hours he spent explaning how magic works and who he was. He stayed with his foster parents until Frisk reseted. Watching Toriel return, watching the decree being passed on about all humans should be treated as friends. Watching the rebellion come. Toriel exiled once more. This time Sans coming with her.

It claimed Gaster worries. Seeing his son pour his care into making the exiled queen life easier. Making sure to make her chuckle with horrible puns. A fool for the queen. He wasnt as worried for him when the ruins door closed behind them. He waited.

Ten weeks thats how long it took, before Frisk received a voice message from sans.

"The reset will occur till the end of the day." He informed his foster parents, till now he explained quite a bit of his life. He was always a monster he just so happened to get some muscles and skin. It took them a few days but they understood. He promised he would introduce his sons to their grandparents once he frees them.

It was sudden. One moment and in one frame, in the other moment Papyrus and Sans were walking down the path to buy spaghetti. Sans stopped mid step,it confused the taller brother who stopped as well turning around. Gaster wondered if Papyrus remembered dying... or if his subconsciousness suppressed that memory. Papyrus opened his arms in a invitation for Sans. Who throw himself onto his brother. Hugging him desperately, as if he stopped holding him Papyrus would fall apart.

"Nye heh heh. If you were too tired to walk, you should have said so. I the great Papyrus could have carried you from the start."

"you are so cool, bro."

One extra day he spend with his foster parents watching the brothers do their routine. At very least one day they both had before Frisk would leave the ruins. Hearing the loud happy voice was sweet medicine to his soul.

* * *

He returned hoping this time they would do a pacifist run, how his foster mother doubted it. He wanted to see his sons in person. He wanted to see Asgor and his awkwardness in front of Toriel. Even if they couldnt see him

It was a fast run, and a complete flip from the previous. Papyrus was the only one who was spared, all others were not. His son became king, by process of elimination. Gaster watched how the crown was heavily on his son head. They had to move in the castle of New Home. It was a position no one from them wanted. He himself was too lazy to lead. Preferring to be the first to follow someone who was worth it. Sans was too lazy in general only putting effort for the one he deemed worthy... only following his bro and once upon time Gaster.

As for Pappy he wanted to follow the king, to be worth it and become the greatest man in service to his king. Becoming the next royal scientist when Gaster goes in pension... well Gaster mussed, his dream was the same if only replacing the idol figure of him with Undyne.

Underground was losing hope. Slowly but steadily. The palace was full of cameras.

He watched as Sans explained that everyone went on vacation to Papyrus. He saw when Sans turned around to fetch something how his brother shock his head fully aware they were dead. Hearing the whispers of the new king when he believed no one could hear him. "Frisk I will not lose hope in you. I the great Papyrus believes in you." It was like a wish told to the shining stones. And who was Gaster to deny such a wish. His determination pulsed with hope.

He watched everyday as the smiles were put on and both did a lot more work than ever. Days were ticking by.

Frisk was over due.

They couldnt leave Asgore and Toriel dead? Not to start on all the other monsters who crossed their part. He did research, a lot of it. The river person did not repeat the warning.

A knock on his door. It was not a Jeremy day, confused on who could be interrupting him he opened the door. It was Dave. Wing and Ding jumping at the man in joy, receiving a few pets before Dave turned to face Gaster.

"Dave, how nice of you. What bring you here?"

"Well... I.. Can you help me... my grandpa, grandpa Jo he died last night."

So Gaster found himself helping packing things inside Joseph home. It was there, that he realized how short lived humans truly are. Was he monster enough to keep on living as long as he had hope, or was he too human that he would grow old and simple stop working. How much time does he had to work on making Frisk stop resetting? Was it decades? Or was it more?Or was it less? He wasnt leading the most healthy and balanced lives... Jeremy had only decades at best. His work would be impossible without the steady flow of money he was burning thought.

As a skeleton he never worried about his own mortality. He knew, lose hope fall down. Have your bones broken too much dust. There was never the simple idea of old age you die. Maybe he should look into Mettaton more closely. Soul transfer from human body into that of a robot. Hopefully it wouldnt come to that. Alphys could help as well, once he frees them...

He found the diary of old times. The diary of the last mage. He took it. Joseph never wanted Dave to know about his lingerie. It was nearly heartbreaking that the house would be left empty. The garden would grow in and it was a garden his king surely would love to tend to... Joseph would have liked it as well. To have monsters call his home their own. It would be a help to them, something the man wanted to do, to attune to the past.

"I want it, how much."

Maybe he shouldnt have said it like that to Dave's face. Hands moving in a try to address how great this idea was without telling Dave about monsters his grandpa wanted to help.

"What you speaking of Gaster?"

"I want to buy it."

"Look g, I am tired tomorrow is the funeral and..."

"Its fine. This will be short. Just tell me how much money you want for your grandpas house. THen go take a rest, tomorrow will be tiring." It was then in Daves head it clicked. He stared at Gaster in an unreadable expression. "You want to buy my grandpas house before he was even put under earth." The tone sounded poisonous thougth he wasnt exactly getting why. "Joseph would want me to buy it." He tried to explain and Dave looked completely betrayed.

"Out."

Gaster blinked.

"I said out and never come in front of my eyes."

"Why? We are friends."

"Friends?! This house is mine, its all I have left from my grandpa and you just so want to buy it? Like... like you are some land shark, was it that friends of yours who put you up to it?"

The monster in the room wasnt reading the vibes well, he put on his glasses and carefully looked at his friend soul. It was the first time he saw a soul have a tint of black echo. It nearly looked as if something was gripping on his friends very soul. Fascinating.

"Fascinating?!" Dave voice screeched. Oh he said the word aloud, bad move. Really bad move.

"It wasnt Jeremy, I... just got to know Joseph well enough to know he would like the idea for the house to be mine. I promise I will take good care of it and its garden."

"Oh now you know him better than I do!" Well, technically he did. The man opened up to him... But that Gaster didnt said, knowing at least that would be a bad move. Instead he tried to calm his friend down.

"Thats not what I meant. I simply tried to do something nice. You are not planning to live here, and it would break his heart to see this place break down when I could use it."

Dave was shaking his head, fingers rubbing the eyes. "I knew there was something strange when Jo started to talk about you like you were some angel from a freaking prophecy. Doctor Gaster is such a good soul. Dr. Gaster is so hopeful. Dr. Gaster is so merciful and forgiving. I feel so lucky to have the chance to meet dr. Gaster. etc etc. Now I know ... I cant still grasp it. How could you."

"Dave, look..."

"No. I am not letting you talk me in circles. You ... you all but brainwashed my grandpa to get his property. Well I dont live here and never will but you will not get you fingers on it either! Do not ever speak with me again!"

Gaster wondered how things escalated so quickly...Was it that he didnt socialize. He didnt keep contacts up? He didnt plan to hurt Dave like this. All he wanted to do is to make a nice gesture. Jo wanted to help monsters. This would have helped them. A house to stay until monster kind get their footing on the surface.

It isnt fair to blame him for the fact Joseph was talking so highly of him. By the stars, he wasnt even aware the man was singing him praise! Sure he was the greatest mind to ever exist... but that wasnt the point. He wasnt the one who made the man do anything. He looked at Dave, the soul in his chest was angrily pulsing, the black tint a constant.

Betrayal.

That was betrayal. Gaster closed his eyes taking a breath. He used his hands to say sorry. Moving them quickly to say that he will be watching out for his friend well being, even if Dave didnt want to and indicating goodbye.

He left the house without saying anything.

Instead of observing the underground he called another person he stopped to pay attention to after he moved in the lab. If he could salvage one relationship it would be something to build out from. He will have to put more backbone into it. Maria was fine meeting with him.

A week later Gaster was sitting in a french restaurant of a big city watching king Papyrus giving out spaghetti on his phone. Maybe they had spaghetti? Maria was late but once she was there she was up and ready to talk. He put the screen away.

She complained about her work, how spare the stories were. How they were putting her in bad position so she wouldnt get a good scope. He chit chated with her. Asking and politly answering. He wasnt even aware that years have passed. Always watching the same days and weeks pass by would do a number to someones perception of time.

The french restaurant didnt have any noodles.

His disappointment amused Maria. He ordered a snail pie, he got just the snails. They still tasted of nostalgia even if he shivered once he swallowed them. She invited him to a few drinks in a club, after the dinner. He was fine with it. He really wanted to watch his sons, his fingers even itching. He was still lacking a good idea on how to make Frisk stop it. But he couldnt even focus on finding one when Frisk was not resetting and not doing a pacifist run. He wasnt aware that he let himself be on auto pilot, as his mind mulled once more the kids problem.

Maria leaned into him.

He responded and leaned a bit copying the action, to be polite. He couldnt leave a message to Sans either if there wasnt a pacifist run. He needed them to get to the surface. Marias breath tickled his face, he pushed his glasses up.

The time he was getting in this timeline at least allowed him to collect data. Maybe if he observed enough souls and collect enough data he could find a way. The big city with so many humans was therefore perfect data mining ground. It meant more data on souls than he could ever hoped to gain back when he was working underground. And he saw a amazing number of souls. Most were the traits he was familiar with with a occasional tint of another. But a few souls he spotted were completely different.

In the sea of souls he even spotted a white human soul. To think there is a chance a human souls would be having the same main trait as monsters. Sadly the same soul was losing hope and having a lot of cracks. He lost them in the masses.

Maybe he should ask Maria to take him to a depressing place the...

There was a soft touch on his lips, his magic pulsed in response and he snapped out his musing grabbing the control from his auto-pilot. He swore he heard a child giggling inside his head. Giggling at his embarrassment?

Maria moved away from his face and lips. She looked perplexed.

He was definitely sure he looked like a deer in headlights. He really, really should pay more attentions to his surrounding.

What was he doing while on autopilot?!

"What was that?" Maria softly asked, with a glance Gaster spotted that there were a few empty drinks on the table. They both have drunk... didnt he promise to himself he wouldnt ever touch alcohol again? No he didnt make an explicit promise... Maria placed a hand on his cheek.

His face exploded in heat. The blush covered the skin in a shade of red that would make papyrus scarf look washed out. "...Its called a kiss." Attempt to downplay it. Was that his first kiss in human body. He rattled his memory. Yup it was. He suppressed a groan. He wanted socialization not romantic relationship.

"No, sweetheart I kissed a lot of men and a few girls. That... was like... I... like I touched... you?"

And Maria felt his magic. It was an extremely slow build up but living in the lab on Ebott helped. The air there was magic enriched. Not too much with the last barrier break being so long ago. The density started to drop. Even so, his soul healed a bit. It still was a collection of shards but the number has dropped by a few. He could count them without using a magnification glass, now.

"... Um it was the... cocktail proba-..."

The good doctor didnt get to finish what he was saying because suddenly his mount was having an extra tongue inside it. Oh no. No. No. No. He sensed Marias intent, and her unsatisfied thirst for knowledge. It resonated with his own love for explaning. Urging even his curiosity on. A unbreakable will for more truth. It felt overwhelming to his soul in shards. Maria's curios intent was tugging directly at his magic. Coaxing it to show her everything to understand all there is. His soul wanted to flatter out his body, to do exactly as the intent was telling him to do. An eagerness to explain curing like electricity in his body. The magic close to pull the womans reporter soul out as well.

Gaster pulled on the determination to resist and filled his bones with it. He managed to break the contact and push Maria off, keeping her on arms length. He was panting, how did he ended up on his back with the human nearly predatory hovering over him? The human heart was racing inside his chest.

"Um... Can I friendzone ...you now or would that... be rude?" He panted sounding more breathless than ever in his life.

"...What are you?" Pure fascination. He felt determination shiver along his spine.

"Walk with me." He needed fresh air, he needed to slip away asap. He was not prepared for handling this type of interactions.

"Nope, you like running away."

She lowered to his face once more. Eyes searching for something. He yelped. "Public place. Public place. Public place!" He tried in a near panic. Somehow he was glad that no monster was here to see him in this position. Maria blinked and suddenly realized they were in a public place and she was all over him.

"I... I am so sorry. I dont know what came over me it just... you is?..." She moved away from him. Gaster quickly created a polite distance between them. Trying to sort his cloths out. Pulling his white sweater down, only to notice the button up shirt underneath was halfway undone. Exposing some of his skin. When did she started to unbutton his shirt?! Now he was positive there was a kids giggle in the back of his head. Was it the determination?...

"Magic."

"Hm?"

"I am answering your question. Because I fear you will jump me again if you dont get answers." Maria didnt deny it. Which made Gaster move half a inch away while blushing harder.

"You were touched by my raw magic which carries a strong tint of determination, it awaken your curiosity and as I am a curious monster myself, it urged you to discover what it all means. Your own soul wanted to understand mine own. As souls are culmination of our being, its why you said it felt like me. It was why you felt most likely absolutely determined to uncover the truth. You may be a bit influenced by the determination that resided in me."

"Monster? Is that a new gender? Like the attack helicopter?" Maria asked, eyes narrowing mulling over all that he thrown at her and Gaster really wanted a nap. Preferable the other side of the continent then the woman.

"... I am not interested in you romantically." He stated.

"You flirted quite a bit with me, and you kissed me back... or magiced me back?"

" Just magic. And I am sorry. I was on autopilot..."

"You have a charming autopilot. Its fine, I dont care for it at the moment. Are you a wizard? Or a mutant? You refered to yourself as monster, what does that mean? Are you like a werewolf?"

"Maria... " The woman was nearly jumping in her seat with excitement. All because of this new shiny unknown that Gaster was. He sighed, definitely not how he planned this evening to go. He felt envious of hermits. She will never leave him alone now. He would be lucky to not end up explaning everything he knows to her. He still felt the waves of her intent radiating and washing over him like waves...yet a idea came to mind. He was bad at social... but that was Marias job... Maybe. Her thirst to know could work for the greater good...  
"How about we make a deal."

"Does it involve you explaning more about all of this? Or shall I kiss the answers out of you? "  
"No. No. Listen. " Gasster raised his hands waving them around, he was already sitting on the edge any more inching away he will probably fall off. "How about I give you the story of your lifetime instead. "

"I always dreamt to be proposed in this fashion."

"Friend zone not marriage, I want friend zone. Remember that please." He is definitely lending out that dating book his son read. Gaster winced inching a bit away and he did end up falling over on the floor. It took good half an hour for things to settle down enough. Maria was once more a more composed person not trying to drown him in her intent to discover the truth. While Gaster fought his blush off into oblivion.

"You want a positive spin? Those dont sell as well." Maria huffed fingers tapping on the table as if they were itching for something to do. Gaster didnt want to know what.

"I know but its my condition. I give you the story when it happens. You will be the first to arrive and you put a positive spin on it. I will ensure you get exclusive rights to interviewing the right people."

"What story are we talking about here."

"Its world changing."

"Everyone says that."

"I mean it."

Maria still didnt look as if it was worth her trouble. Or that it was more interesting than what was sitting in front of her. So Gaster quickly added. "Imagine a war torn country. And there are those poor people and children who have been kidnapped and held in a cave for years. Not seeing sunlight for many years. They got saved by one human, who free them all. Is this not worth a positive spin for the children and that one person who was their hero?" He was really proud of this analogy. Especially because it worked. He urged her to build up influential friend circle, so her story would take more weight. With the media on their side the idea of peace sounded nearly an easy task to accomplish.

Asgore may feel a bit caught of guard faced with a reporter as first thing... maybe he could direct Maria to Pa-... nope. He is not risking her jumping his bones. Maybe Toriel would give a good first interview? If nothing works, he will sacrifice himself as the spokesperson... He sighed briefly wondered since when did the royal scientist duty included PR management. Once the reporters start swarming like sharks the monsters, the attention seeking robot Mettaton would be a perfect reporter sponge.


	5. Chapter 5

It was late night when he reached his hotel room. The day was tiring. Dropping on the bed he once more started watching the underground. Sans and Papyrus were still doing paperwork. He stayed awake along them. Just enjoying the sound of scribbling pen on paper. If he forgot himself just enough he could see it. His office, two skeletons spread over the couch while a third was writing their findings down. Complaining how they were useless. One insisting on writing in symbols and the other ignoring basic capitalization.

The soft nostalgic daze lasted for quite some while before the scribbling stopped. Sans has fallen asleep on the table. His brother carrying the smaller skeleton to the big bedroom and on the way too big bed. Gaster watched as Sans was tucked in and Papyrus was leaving the room. The new king walked down the hallways and Gaster shifted in the bed. The tall skeleton left the castle in the dead of the night. Why?

When he watched Papyrus enter the labs, Gaster curiosity grew. New king went to the console and checked the systems. Then he checked the cameras. Gaster winced, as he watched Papyrus softly count the number of monsters. On one camera Frisk was curled in her hiding spot and sleeping a open book being their pillow. There was no reaction from the monster king at the view. He simply moved to the next camera.

Some monsters started to fall down...A few even dusted away, but Sans wouldnt tell that to Pappy. So the clever skeleton checked himself. They really underestimate his son's intelligence simply because he is optimistic to a fault.

Yet after the camera check the tall skeleton went onto the next thing. He went straight to the core. He started to maintain its output and if any need for fixing he could spot. The source of all magic electricity in the underground. The power coming directly from the lava under them. Another thing monsters tended to overlook. The royal scientist duty was to make sure the core does not break. Regular maintenance was therefore a must.

"No wonder you are so tired to the bone, you are doing the job of two, three maybe even five people."Gaster spoke even if he knew he couldnt be heard. How long was Frisk planning on letting this go on? For what were they waiting for? The new king made his way around and into old lab. Or true lab as it is was called as well. He made sure all the monsters from the experimentation were feed and doing well. When was the first time Papyrus spotted them in true lab? Gaster made a note to check the tapes.

He did one more stroll across the labs before he returned to the castle and climbed into the bed beside his brother. Not even bothering to change out his attire. Simple curling beside the other body and falling asleep in mere moments. "You are not telling Sans about your visits to the lab, because he isnt telling you things either... This is not what I was teaching... There shouldnt be secrets between you two... not a single ...one " Gaster joined them in his sleep.

In a few days he solved the mystery. Papyrus knew the location of true lab and how to get in. He sneaked out when most monsters were still celebrating him becoming king. Gaster watched in fascination as the tall skeleton went directly to his old office, now a storage room. He was searching the files, and was suprised by one of the wandering creatures. What ever he looked for he didnt find instead he took care of them.

A year.

It took just a bit over a year before a reset occurred. Both sons started to sprout cracks from fragituted by then. The population of monsters was only a tenth from what it was and is at the first day of reset. Those last days of losing hope... It was a mental strain. They hid the wounds from each other to not make the other worry. Distancing themself from each other... Each falling apart alone instead of supporting each other to stand, yet both wearing smiles for the rest of the kingdom to see. He felt like giving them a strong scolding.

"What will you do now Frisk? Save everyone. Maybe then I could try my recent ideas. It may work if he remembers to look out for it. It was several years since it."

Ten days before Frisk left the ruins. The kids face completely blank. Dust clung to their shirt. Gaster sighed. This will not be good.

He turned back towards his invention. A preparation for the future. His eyes glued to the screen. The blasters silently sitting by their master side. Taking care of him, reminding him to eat and nap regularly.

Frisk moved though the monsters who started to show more and more resistance. The kid was slower, died easier as if the long break they took actually made them forget all the details. Maybe they were not trying as hard? No, that would be assuming the kid had an easier time killing everyone. And that couldnt be the truth.

Gaster was determined to not lose hope that Frisk would see the fruitlessness of their actions and do the right thing. He continued his research and experimentation on the anomaly. He spotted a few interesting things about it. Yet he wasnt sure how to use them to his advantage.

He kept on watching.

Frisk killed his son without giving him a chance... He was throwing them a bone with his hints, still the kid didnt get it. Sans stared at the dust when he reached the place. Silent tears falling down his face. The man watching was observing the events. Everything was recorded. No action was without consequence. It will not be forgotten. The hours upon hours of material stored in the second basement. It forced Gaster at one point to perfect the storage and improve the size of the device that stored the data.

Another work that Jeremy happily turned into the green that moved the surface world.

One monster after another fall only dust remaining. Frisk becoming stronger, more lifeless. Gaster feared that maybe, the kid was searching for a way to stay dead. Or perhaps was to make everything around them gone so no pain will be left either? Dangerous either way.

He wanted them to stop.

With each time Frisk died, the load happened a bit slower. Was it because of the weakened determination? Or because of the amounts of close by loads?

How many days did it take up to this point? He felt thirsty but couldnt look away.

The monster kid was facing them, Undyne was running to reach them in time. She took the hit for the kid. Gaster blinked slowly. That would be from her as well. Another pile of dust to join all the others.

"Its nothing." The royal guard captain spoke, and Gaster wondered if he sounded like that when he would he was fine. Wondered if it was pride speaking. The cracks on her body were more than clear to see, and they were growing rapidly... And he wasnt the only one watching. He knew it like a fact that another monster was surely having their eyes glued to the scene.

"No... somehow with just one hit...I am already."

Cracking. Falling apart. He knew how that fell. His hands moved to his chest. The soul splintering apart. She kept holding on, fighting against what was undoubtedly going to happen.

"Damit!... Papyrus, Alphys...Asgore... Just like that I failed you."

Gaster huffed. "I wouldnt say failed..."

 _"No..."_ Something changed. Something changed with her drastically. He felt her refusal reaching into the very core of her soul.

 _"My body feels like splitting apart. Like in any instance it will scatter into million pieces."_ More than half her body was nothing more than collection of splinters so small they were bordering to being dust. Even still she moved her hand and clenched her teeth.

 _But deep, deep in my soul."_ Gaster fascination moved him to be even closer to his screens. _"There is a burning feeling I cant describe."_

It cannot be.

It was impossible.

She had never received any determination.

Yet...

 _"A burning feeling that wont let me die."_ The pieces started to rebuild them self. Did it look like this when his soul was refusing to die? When the sea of red wouldnt let him die?

 _"This isnt about monsters any more."_ Seeing this, it was making him hope. Magic from around the air was flowing into her unbinding following the call. Becoming materials for what her soul was becoming. Abody befitting the determined soul... but even so, the density would not be enough on it own. But just maybe...

 _"If you get pass me..."_ A monster determination... He never even dreamed it possible to become this powerful. Truly interesting.

" _You will destroy them all, wont you. Monsters. Humans. Everyone."_

He will not let that happen. He will stop it. _"Everyone hopes. Everyone dreams. Vanquished in a instance."_  
Memory mixed with his own wishes and hopes. The sunset with the barrier gone, the anomaly giving up to finally let everyone be free. To meet them on the path walk with them in a new future, even if they forgot him. To have that destroyed...

 _"But I will not let you do that."_  
"But I will not let you do that." He spoke alongside the sensation of a monsters determination.

 _"Right now everyone in the world. I can feel their hearts beating as one...And we all have one goal."_

One goal, indeed. His heartbeat was fast, the sensation of his soul in his foremind.

 _"To defeat you."_

Magic. Unbelievable.

The doctors hands moved pulling up the instruments readings placed across the mountain. He was not disappointed as from the corner from his eyes he saw the magic levels have slightly spiked. Undyne was not only denying death. But the barrier and the time itself. Denying the anomaly walls to reach to every last monster souls with her magic.

Including his.

 _"For the sake for the whole world."_

Draining upon their hopes and dreams as the soul was being reborn. The new body forming as it expression. The armor chest plate showing a heart with its point down. All monsters souls together would match the power of one human soul.  
"I Undyne, will strike you down!"

"A true hero has been born. Undyne the Undying." Gaster declared unable to look away as the impossible was showed to him. If this is possible than, everything is. The hope pulsated. Frisk eyes were big, face shocked. Brief flash of fear passing over the kid face. A emotion, a part of Gaster brain noted down. Watching as Undyne jumped in the air the sheer power she radiated was truly interesting. He could only imagine the other royal scientist stuttering the world impossible over and over again. Probably tearing up as well.

"You gonna have to try a little harder than that." The hero called out. Frisk died in the barrage of spears that was the first attack.

Doctor Gaster walked to fetch some water for himself. When he returned Frisk was still dead.

Could it be the strong determination of Undyne was interfering with the load? Exactly six minutes before Frisk was back to their last save point. In those six minutes Gaster observed what he knew would happen. She was starting to melt. The captain of the royal guards succeeded in doing the thing both royal scientist failed. Creating a soul to match the power of a human. With such a soul she could cross the barrier, it could fill the spot of the seventh soul as well.

But the results were as to be awaited. The monster body, obviously a lot more dense at this point, was still not able to contain the burning and sheer power the soul now held. If in this state Undyne received a drop of human determination... would her soul go through a process similar to his own did? Would it be able to create a human body? Like following a blueprint.

Would a introduction of biological material in her system beforehand assist in creation of more resilient body? Gaster watched as Undyne was struck while protecting the monster kid from Frisk. He opened a new folder. He felt the moment Undyne magic was reaching out into the world, feeling everyones hope and dreams. He named the folder True Hero. He started analyzing what he had in front of him. A new research project.

Maybe with this he could progress further towards his own dream.

* * *

Frisk was dying a lot.

He was saying that quite a bit by then.

Twelve days. Non stop. Stuck in that one fight. With each transformation magic reaching out to the world. Gaster noted with a bit of amusement that the level of magic in the air have risen slightly.

Slowly Frisk was lasting longer and longer.

Undyne killed them yet again, half body already a melted mess... Her action changed just a bit. He awaited that. The determination inside her soul combined to an connection of an outside observer like him... For a second before the load started, the last second of the current timeline, she attacked the corpse again. As if more spears in a sack of meat would stop the soul from being determined and come back.

It may take a few more hours before Frisk managed to outlast the True Hero. Then Hotlans and the laboratory would be the next destination. How long will it take them to go though there? Would the kid take a break? This was the longest fight yet... Wing and Ding were barking at him. Demanding his attention to return to his surroundings.

Someone was knocking on his door. He checked the calendar it was a week too early for Jeremy..."Sorry Undyne, I will have to look away for a few turns..."With his moving hands he added to the screen that she could rely on his hope... Maybe she will actually stop the kid... A selfish part of his mind would always whine out his dead son name.

He opened the front door.

"Jeremy? You are a weak early... I think." Watching the same set minutes over and over was really messing with his perception of time. He had several times switched to watching Sans, to see how he was holding up. He was doing as well as one could when trapped in such a short time span. He definitely had deja vu of those minutes, but couldnt place a memory to it.

"I need you to accompany me."

Away from here?

"Away from here?" Gaster blinked he felt sluggish, he didnt get any nap time in this time. One can not exactly rest when every couple of minutes magic seeks out your soul.

"Yes, just to meet a few people. Please G." At least his soul healed somewhat from the exposure of magic. The number of shards dropped by four. Which was the speediest recovery he ever had... It was still a double digit number of shards sadly. But progress was progress none the least.

"G! You hearing what I am saying?!"

"...Sorry. Didnt sleep. Come in. I have a few new things. One is for the police and two for medica-"

"Drink your coffee!" Jeremy all but shouted at him. The blasters showed their teeth and growled in warning at the man. NOt allowing the tone the human just took up with their Gaster.

"I... Drunk all the coffee I had ... four, five... Or was it six days ago." Jeremy pushed into the house and closed the front door instead of Gaster. The human grabbed him by the arm and dragged him into the guest room. He was planted on the soft couch and Jeremy left the room. He really could go for a nap. Just one hour. That wasnt long...

Jeremy returned and Gaster found himself holding a chocolate bar. He ate it, he was out of sugar as well. He had spaghetti so he wasnt worrying about starving.

"So, I need you to pack for... lets say a week away ... that would do." Jeremy told him, the doctor looked him over. Jeremy looked every bit tired, like Gaster felt. That was strange. He never saw Jeremy in lack of sleep. The man always valued healthy sleeping hours, even back at the uni he would nag at Gaster for skipping sleep and how it was not healthy even how it was even less healthy to be replacing it with random naps.

"I cant leave now."

"Too bad G, we have to."

"...I didnt ask this yet or? What is boning on?"

Jeremy huffed at the small pun and suddenly the man started to shift in place. He looked every bit guilty. The magic touch of the hero was gone. So either dead or load.

"I... may ... messed up. But really its not my fault."

He was not in any state of awakeness that would be able to deal with that sentences. His face and hands must have said what was on his mind as Jeremy winced.

"I get it. I know I do. My butt is on the fire here as well. ... I will explain everything on the way. Lets get you and your flea bags packed." Jeremy was once again going for the door. Why was the man so fast, he had to chill.

"Wait. I cannot leave now." Gaster said.

"Why?"

"Under deal."

"Gaster buddy. My friend. If you dont come with me now... Then you may deal with the military by the end of the week breaking in and putting everything in here as evidence and you in a cell for questioning. They do not care about the deal, doctor Gaster."  
Jeremy was out the room, leaving Gaster to open and close his mouth like a fish. He chuckled at the pun. That was funny. Before he shock his head. Standing up. Focus, he told himself.

"WingDings behave. No killing of Jeremy." The words as much directed to the dogs as they were to himself. He went into the hallway and spotted the door to his work place left gaping open. When he walked into it, he saw the man in question packing his clothes in a suitcase.  
He owned a suitcase?

The magic seeked out his soul.

Ah, it was a load then.

He wasnt sure about what to yell first. At least the screens were in the basement and the second level basement where the data room was. He picked one random topic.

"Military?!"

Jeremy loudly breathed in, moving around the room he wasnt allowed to enter to begin with. The man barely avoiding to trip over the various constructions and contraptions. It was like a puzzle. Oh a trip puzzle. He should make a puzzle based on that idea. Focus!

"Jeremy!?" He yelled now.

"Okay. It can be salvaged. But I will need you." Avoiding the question Gaster barely hold on the urge to keep on yelling.

"I didnt allow you to sell anything I make to the army. I was fine with having a constructive relation with the police and the various government agency interested in the security I was creating. I am more than approving your humanitarian work for good publicity and the like." Mostly because those ties would benefit monsters once they are free. His hope hummed with determination. He already planted a virus in the system so he could adjust Frisk birth certificate to fit the age they are appearing as. It would make adoption for Toriel so much easier. As well it allowed him to keep an eye out for their birth parents. The mother has died from cancer a few months back, while their father was becoming more and more a violent drunk, known to the police... Jeremy voice snapped him back to the now.

"...And I didnt!... They may mistakenly believe me having ties to terrorism...And may think you are one..."

Jeremy was now out right hiding behind the robot for help for elderly people.

"Jeremy." His voice was echoing. "You are one hair away from me blasting you to ash. You better start explaning to my satisfaction."

Jeremy eyed him as if judging him if he could actually do that. Truthfully a Gaster blaster was out of the question. Not that the human even knew he had such an attack. At the state of his soul right now, he may be able to use one or two short cuts...and maybe summon one bone. Anything more would create more damage to him.

"I hope you didnt build a death ray... Or I will not be able to salvage the situation."

"No." He could summon one. So that was not a lie. The message not spoken was still received by the human. When did Jeremy got good enough to read his hands movements? He always failed to interrupt them?

"Awhile ago... But okay, okay. Lets go. "

"No."

"I will explain it in the car, I promise."

"No. I can not leave."

"Why?"

"Under deal."

"Throw me a bone, dammit!" Gaster blamed his next action on lack of sleep and Sans. A small bone bonked against Jeremy skull. Making the human look down at the bone and then process to have a loud frustrated groan that Papyrus would have approved off. The magic touch was gone. Gaster was chuckling. Dead or load?

"I am not asking if you carrying bones in your pockets! Why can you not leave? Do you have some experiment going on or something?"

"...Sort of. I... am observing."

"Could you observe from away? Like put up a camera or stream up or something."

He remembered the way he watched by his foster parents. The way he watched king Papyrus when the incident with Maria happened. Since then he even improved his option... It would even be safe from hacks... Still he felt like it would be some form of betrayal to leave the true hero to fight alone.

"You already have a way for that, dont you? Great G. What am I packing?"

"Jeremy. Explain now if you want me to come with you."

The human stepped out his hiding spot and eyed Gaster some more, the man must have concluded it was safe enough because he sighed and moved to lean against the wall. His work space lacked chairs, he prefer sitting on the floor while working.

"Well it all starts with the fact that you are not on my payroll. Just like you wanted. To make sure the money isnt traceable to your name I had to do a few little things. All which were legal... but suspicious. " Gaster sat down on the floor. Standing was demanding too much energy of him.

"Well someone noticed that a portion of my profit and money was vanishing. So I became the subject of a cover investigation. They observed me coming here. It wouldnt have been so bad if it was not for the break in ten days ago."

"Break in?"

"Yeah, I dont know who, but someone broke into my home office and stole files from my computer. The investigator thought I had noticed them and was trying to hide my tracks. Staging a break in to clean out proof. So they came forth trying to solve the break in, pretending to be helpful but wanting to get their fingers in. I said no to them looking at my computer, which made things worse. When they tried to do it with a search warrant... Well I didnt make myself look innocent when they caught and stopped me from destroying my computer memory..."

Gaster listened. Forcing Jeremy to keep on going.

"They discovered the projects I didnt use. The big ones. Interstellar rockets, fuel and all the other stuff... They took it as weapons blueprints. The army got involved and... I had to tell them about you. I kept our deal secret... But you have to meet them. Be polite, smile, say you dont plan to destroy or enslave humanity. You dont, right? Good. And we both with the right donation will be scott free. Sure there is the issue of someone now having those blueprints...But I am sure a better encryption by the great doctor Gaster will stop the damage."

"Jeremy." Gaster voice was oddly calm. The magic seeked his soul again. Another load then.

"Yes?"

"How did the thief get in your computer?"

Jeremy physically winced as if he was hit by a really bad attack. Gaster fixed him until the human spoke just above a whisper. "It was a new computer and I had yet to change the password to something that wasnt the word pass1."

So stupidity.

He ended up going. He couldnt let the army see what the monsters were capable of before they ensured human rights for them. No monster should be treated as a weapon or a soldier in petty human wars. He will make Asgore make it a law that no monster was allowed to join human wars... If they saw Undyne transformation... and got scared instead of greedy... Gaster didnt want to find out if the anomaly could hold out against a nuclear blast.

The good thing was that the drive took six hours. In the fifth hour the magic didnt return. Dead then. Frisk could never win that fight... but the kid could and have outlasted the true hero. He hoped they would go and sleep now. Because he sure would. He was in deep slumber when the car pulled to its destination.


	6. Chapter 6

Three days. He slept for three days straight. When he woke up he spotted his glasses and put them on. The scan activated after confirming his iris. He will get something out of Jeremy mess up...

He had no idea where he was...

Standing up he noticed his blasters were missing, a sinking feeling settled in his stomach. The room was spare but well light, no window. He walked to the door and tried to open it. Locked.

No.

He pushed harder on the knob. It didnt budge.

No.

He knocked on the door rapidly.

No. No. No.

He avoided this situation for so long.

A prisoner.

He had enough magic for two short cuts. He could flee and... he needed a better plan if he wanted to keep on working on the anomaly...

The door unlocked and two uniformed men entered it. Two souls made up of determination,each with LV over 20, the second even close to 30. He saw what one kid with LV around 10 was capable of. He remembered the killer intent of the humans in the war, those trained soldiers. Who knew that their lv were. He stood no chance if they wanted him dead. He visibly stepped away from both of them, body sprung and ready for action.

" I see you joined the living, Professor. I am General Christian and this is Colonel Alfred. You gave your friend quite the scare when you both arrived here. " A polite smile, an attempt to ease the tension up.

"Its doctor...I am not a professor."

"Of course, Doctor. Forgive me for my mistake. There isnt much about you." The general spoke and Gaster pulled on the determination. He was the king's first royal scientist he will not look like a scared animal. He will stand proud if this was his execution.

"I forgive you. How can I help you?" The general was still politely smiling, but the colonel till now with a neutral expression, narrowed his eyes when Gaster posture changed. Gaster frowned when he realized barely any determination was curling around his soul as he tugged on it.

"Answering a few question would be great. But you must be hungry after resting so long. Lunch is being served and your friend would feel better knowing you are doing fine." The general nearly fatherly spoke towards him as he stepped aside to lead Gaster to what he presumed was cafeteria. Gaster nodded and stepped forward, having the general place a hand on his back.

He was on a military base.

The amount of red souls was the highest from any place he ever saw. Sure there was a lot of justice souls as well but the others were much rarer. He didnt spot a green soul yet. The General was chit chatting commenting about how the base history was going way back to the second world war and anecdotes. The man was really trying to be pleasant. It was hard for the monster to look any other way then as if he was walking down to his execution with head raised.

Jeremy spotted him the moment he entered the mess hall.

A friendly face.

A soul he knew.

"I keep telling you to not work until you faint! But no. How long was it since you had a nap."  
Gaster eyes focused on Jeremy. The human said nap, not sleep. Was he looking that badly when he came?

"I am fine. It was just a few days." He responded hands held on his back.

"Well whatever G. Your things are with me." He snooped, at least Gaster did lock all his things down. Without the password and finger press there will not be a way for anyone to access the live feed. He wanted to check on Sans. See where Frisk was now.

"If you could give me my phone." And out the pocket Jeremy pulled the slim device, Gaster took it and without looking at it he was pocketing it.

He had to wait just a bit longer, the moment he is alone he will give it a glance.  
They sat down and ate. "I never saw any civilian being able to eat the meatloaf with such a vigor." Colonel commented as Gaster was taking the last bite of the food.

"I never was a picky eater." He politely returned. The body needed substance and he was giving it. The faster he was done with it the faster he could do what he wanted. All of this was annoying him. The pretending as if there were guest. He knew if he even attempted to leave they would stop with the being nice act and show their true intentions. He could read it from their intent towards him... Yet it would be bigger hassle, he didnt have time to afford... Thought he would prefer spaghetti.

"Well, if you wouldnt mind we should get down to work, right doctor?" The general stood up, placing his hand on Gaster shoulder. The man was powerful and hands on, in every sense of the word.

"Of course." Gaster smiled as determinedly back at the man, as he could. The monsters were always so weak... and he... a sheep in wolf clothing. He stepped after the man as he was lead to the room. A interrogation room. They didnt need to spell it out for the greatest mind to realize what it was.

They questioned him.

He answered unwaveringly.

It was easy to hide monster kind away from them, when they were so focused to figure out if he was an enemy of the state. Or to which country he was a spy off. He valued his loneliness as he worked he would give the inventions to Jeremy. Did he invent everything 'A Monster company' was selling? Most likely he answered.

Security, medecine, green energy, products for the masses, transportation, etc. The company was a global influence for a few years now, Gaster really didnt care about that as long as he was financially covered. and the brand of monster was having a positive picture in society. Yet now that he was forced to answer question after question to the company activity... He realized just how much his genius changed the surface world. There was barely an area AMC global was not involved with in one way or another. It especially hit him when the man asking him referred to the 'A Monster company' as 'The Monster imperium.' referring to the influence it had over the business and technology world.

It wasnt Gaster intention to create that, but then on other hand... he had worked for his king since childhood, and once in The underground helped to build the kingdom of monsters up from nothing... This... was just the same, his habits made this...with Jeremy on the top...

Jeremy was untouchable, if he wanted he could easily move to another country. But Jeremy knew quite well Gaster wasnt planning to get away from Ebott any time soon.

The next three days he was talking to experts, explaning the blueprints they found and what his intention were. He had barely manage to check on the recordings. Frisk was further down the path than he hoped. It wouldnt take them long before they are in the fight with the robot.

They were testing to see if he was really the genius he was claiming to be. If he came up with all of those things, it would mean he single handled pushed humanity progress for several years, maybe decades ahead of their time.

"... We concluded that I am the greatest mind alive. Could we now move to the point. I even going to say please." Gaster snapped as he felt like he was answering the same question for the fourth time, just differently prashad.

"This isnt a simple matter doctor."

"I disagree. Its quite simple."

"Oh and how so?" The man across him caressed his beard.

"You tell me what you desire and as long as it isnt a weapon I make it reality. After that we both go back to our lives, like this never occurred."

The man put his pen and paper down, moving closer to Gaster face. There was an unreadable expression on the human face. Gaster waited as the human as he took a deep breath and gave him the glare of the decade.

"Do you think we are some joke? That you can bribe your way out of this?" Gaster blinked, bribing? He... well he could see how it could be seen as bribing, but the only thing he owned and was willing to share was his mind. If they didnt want that...

"I am here to figure out if you lie to us. And let me tell you. You are."

Gaster groaned, his fingers twitching in annoyance. "I did not lie. I have never left this country. Never was interested. I didnt even interact with anyone who is from aboard." He really wasnt, why wouldnt this people already get it. The only thing he was interested in was The underground, Frisk and anomaly. He didnt have the time for other humans. He barely keep in contact with Maria and Jeremy. With Maria only because she would let the phone ring for over two hours till his blasters started to bark at him to make him pick it up. Jeremy was annoying with his visit and collecting on his invention, but he did approve it when the man brought him food so he didnt have to leave his lab to do shopping. His foster parents... actually he didnt call or visit them in a long while... he should probably give them a call, to let them know he was still working.

"Doctor Gaster, do you know what body language is?"

The doctor in question moved his glasses up, fingers brushing over the hair that fall in his eye tickling the age old scar above it.. He should cut it soon. Head nodding at the question, his other hand thumbing against the table. Adding a I am not a idiot, and what with it?

"Good, then you should know you would make the worst spy in existence."

Great if they concluded that, then why not let him go already? He wanted to check on Frisk.

"Well I am a expert in reading body language... And are you aware how much do you talk with your hands?"

His hands slowed mid motion and Gaster body all but froze. The man who talk in hands. That how other monsters would occasionally call him. That how the river person refereed to him when they warned the kid. He restrained himself from thinking anything else at the moment.

"I see you understand the implication. At first I thought it was sign language, but it was not in any of the languages on this world... Your hands have to be paired up with your words. They fill in the meaning and add explanation. They move when you think... So yes, I do know you arent working for another government or terrorist... But you are hiding something big. How about it? "

Gaster still didnt move a muscle.

"You simple be honest with us, and after that we return to our lives."

The man left him, so he could have some time to think about it. He couldnt tell them about monsters, he feared what they would do... but if he stays here maybe Frisk will forever be resetting and loading the world. How long till their mind fully breaks. The blank expression was what truly scared the doctor. They were doing things to the extreme so they could have something to react... He worried what Sans would do when he meet them in judgment hall, with everyone dead... Gaster wasnt sure if he could watch Sans dying... or kill. Though he could understand the urge.

He closed his eyes, hoping for a miracle.

He was given a day break, and the following evening they called him to come with them.

He didnt speak or even allowed himself to move a muscle during the next session. It was about to end when the general entered. Sometimes a star hears your wish. Apparently some operation in the east went horrible wrong. Good men were held hostage and if he helps they would only keep an eye on him.

So Gaster did what he did best, research and throw himself at the work. He gave them a solution, he didnt like that he didnt have the time to make an alternative. His solution relied on small dose of magic electricity. Now it was only time to wait to see if the rescue succeed. Hopefully they will overlook it. He made it so that once it was used it would self destruct, hopefully eliminate any way for them to replicate it on they own. Or figure it out in the first place.

* * *

"..." The general was sitting beside him. The man looked worried, the monster felt the urge to say something, to fill the silence.

"I am the great dr. Gaster. Its is a fact that they will be rescued." Was he referring the soldiers, or monster kind? Probably both.

"...Have you children, doctor?" Gaster opted to stay unmoving, knowing if he moved he would say that he do. The sudden words from the general being a bit of surprise to him. Officially he didnt... as a human. He didnt plan on letting them know. Even as a monster it was a bit complicated. They were watching some recruits fighting, their training. The sounds of grunts and punches filling the air around them.

"My son is one, of whose lives depends now on your work... Because of it I am not allowed to be directly involved with the mission...So I dont know if he is going to survi-"  
"They will be rescued." The general looked over at him. The man not awaiting to hear the amount of empathy in Gaster voice. Neither to see the doctors smile of unshaken confidence. Not out of ego but because he believed it was the only way it will end. Pure unshaken believe was rolling of him. The older man eyes becoming unbelivable soft. Something Gaster would never await to see in a soul with such a high lv. He gave the general hope. Humans were truly a fascinated breed. Even with so much exp the man still was able to experience something like hope.

He excused himself and in the bathroom took out the phone. He had to check on Frisk.

They started.

Two hours ago Frisk walked up in front of Sans. The kid died in Sans first attack. It was so fast done. Fast forwarding he saw it took twenty minutes before the load occurred. Gaster switched to the live feed. The kid was dead, its blood pooling around them as Sans was simple staring. The look in his sons eyes, he recognized from himself. Anger. They made his son a killer. An executor. Gaster hands shook, his soul paining.

He put the phone away, he couldnt watch. Even if that was what he wanted to do the most. He returned to the general side. He knew Sans went for the killing blow from the moment the kid crossed the line. Not to break their arms or legs and make Frisk unable to fight on, but to end them.

His posture must have betrayed something from his inner thoughts because the general stood up and placed his hand on the doctors shoulder. Giving him a comforting pat.

"How about we spar as well? Sitting like this may drive us both crazy." The general smiled.

"I dont think its a good idea." Gaster spoke attention on the man, but it was hard to keep his mind of what was happening right now. It felt different than any other time Frisk died. They made Sans kill. His son killed...and once in the future Frisk will kill him as well. Will it take days? Weeks? How many times will Sans kill them? Would Frisk chop his head? Or just stab him once. Would they say anything? He only had one point.

The pool of blood on his son's feet. Dirtying and getting socked in the pink fluffy slippers he wore.

"I promise I will be careful with you, doctor. You can look at it as self defence lessons. One should always know how to defend oneself." The general Christian urged him on and then there were on the mats.

It was too easy.

So easy to only see the red soul of determination and to see the high lv.

So easy to see Frisk in front of him.

Not the general, or any of the recruits around them.

Dust, knife, blank face.

The punch thrown slow, all the other sounds meaningless.

So easy to slide to the side and avoid it.

So easy not to care if it was considering cheating.

The muscles screaming as the bones they were attached to moved on their own accord, pushing speed and power beyond what they were ready for.

So easy to hurt that red soul filled with determination and LV.

Wishing to see it shatter.

To want countless of red shards.

The sickening crack of bone echoing in his skull. A pleasing sound.

The warm red fluid dropping. A pleasing view.

So easy to want it suffer.

Quick end would be mercy. They never gave mercy.

So easy to see the field covered in silver dust under the grey sky above his head.

So many hands reaching towards him. He will not stop fighting. They will not subdue him.

The red blood against the golden floor.

A wave of fire arrows cast at them lighting the sky up like a sunset would.

His head slammed against the ground hard, yet it wasnt as hard as it should have been. He pushed against the humans. He couldnt fail now. He had to... A strong voice screamed his name off.

"Professor Gaster!"

Words started to cut in and he stopped resisting, breathing. Voices were telling him stuff. Was he really on the military base? Was that really the current date? ... Yes it was. He blinked. The glasses were gone, broken from someone stepping on them.

"I am fine." He spoke there was weight on him. He was being restrained. He went limp against his captor.

"You should have told us you served in a war!" That was the voice of the general. Gaster flinched but felt relieved the man was speaking. It mean he was alive. Even though his voice sounded off, suppressing pain. He tried to turn his head to see the man he was sure he harmed. But alas his head was still pressed down by a strong hand. It was making him really uncomfortable.

"I am fine." He repeated in lack of any other response he could think off.

The hands loosened their hold and he raised himself up. But they stayed so close ready to return him down to the floor. Eyes searching around. So many of the recruits and other soldiers were close by. The colonel had a gun pointed at him as well. And in front of him was the general holding his teeth together. Gaster eyes slipped from his pained face down. There it was an arm.

A arm with an open bone fracture.

The white piece of bone poking out the red flesh, nearly like it was a bone attack.

He knew he didnt use any of his magic so he did that... with his bare hands.

He felt ill.

A nap would do him good.

* * *

When he woke up he felt disoriented. When did he fall asleep? He couldnt place any time period to the white ceiling. That was starting to be a regular occurrence in his life. Those ceilings, always feel the same, maybe all healing institution buy their ceiling paint from the same place? Maybe he should do research into it.

"Morning professor!"

That voice... He didnt move his head. A face still entered his view. General Christian face looked overjoyed. So odd. He awaited a killer intent. Revenge, or at the very least fear. "The rescue mission was an success. There were some injured, but they all made it out alive and I have to thank your work for that. " Gaster sat up, the human wore a cast he winced.

"My son and I will be matching for a while. " The man said noticing the flinch the doctor made at the sight of the cast. "They broke his arm when he didnt corporate..."

"Why didnt you kill me?" The words slipped out in a honest curiosity. Gaster felt tired. He wanted to be around his blasters, he wanted to make spaghetti. He wanted to hear the cool Papyrus and be napping with Sans on the floor where they drop from over working. He wanted to have Asgore pick him up and plant him down for cookies and tea and make it an order to take it easy. He wanted to tease the nervous monster with the question if he could read the shipping fiction he knew they wrote with him in it. He wanted to explain his inventions...

"God gracious why would I do that! My son would be dead without you. I am grateful."

"But I wanted to... level of violence..." Gaster spoke, trying to figure this puzzle out, how ever he looked at it, it didnt make much sense. The experience with humans told him that the man should fear him. Be out to dust him, yet... yet... Gaster thought of the humans he meet as a human... The biological father... and the contrast the foster mother... Dave...

"I shouldnt have pushed you. I am sorry. If you had just told us you were a veteran I would have never put you in that situation." The voice used was soft.

"...I never were in a war." He tried to bluntly lie.

"Sure, professor. You obtained battle hardened reflexes, survivor instincts and close combat moves from watching late night TV." He wasnt believed, but for whatever reason silence settled. He wasnt questioned about it. Obviously they should, they were out for his secrets...So why not ask which war he was part of? He wouldnt have an answer for them... not without telling the whole truth.

"No further denying?"

"I dont understand it..." Gaster pushed himself off the bed, standing he faced fully the general. "... You killed before."

There was awkwardness now in the mans face expression. "...I did."

"So, why didnt you end me when I harmed you?" He was aware the general was studying him just as much as he was watching the human in front of him. Somehow the general decided to answer a completely different question.

"On the battlefield things are simple. "The man started, not breaking eye contact with Gaster.

"You are told what to do, you do your part... You know what is awaited from you, and you can do it. You fight to live, for your unit to live. Everyone has their part."

The general took a deep breath, as if he was silently saying that it wasnt exactly that, yet it was. Gaster couldnt look away. "You do your job. The world outside becomes complicated. With the unit you do what everybody else does. "

The general, placed his healthy arm on Gaster shoulder. The human really was a hands on man. It was so strange comparing this man to Frisk, both had killed but, the child had a empty expression...if he looked cumulatively at all the life taken from all the timelines...how high would their level be?... Maybe their mind...was carrying something over. The generals next words just barely above a whisper, forcing Gaster to strain his ears to catch them. "But always ... there is always the one nagging question... why do I then hurt like this?"

Silence, Gaster curiosity took charge speaking directly out of . The kid was hurting because they couldnt save everyone. They had to leave some behind. " Doesnt it become easier the more..." The snort cut him off, it was a dangerous sound. The type of sound that send a shiver down the spine of the monster in humans skin.

"It never gets easier... well maybe if you are some psychopath then it gets easier."

Was his reserch wrong? Or maybe lv obtained from humans are different than the one obtained from monsters? Was it possible the resets didnt exactly turn the effects of lv down to lv1, but left some phantom feeling, that still affects them? He had to understand this if he was to stop them. And right now he was having a red soul with lv in front of him. One that knew how to care and worry.

"What about... what if their face is blank. Empty from any emotion?"

"Then maybe the near death is the only moment when they are sure they are still alive."

"What wouldt help them?" Gaster asked openly and hopeful he would receive an general took several moments to study the man in front of him.

"Reach out, and make them feel something."

"Would feeling hope help?"

"It would be a start, but far from the end." The general removed his hand from him, in the look he received was a understanding that made Gaster mind replay the conversation wondering if he said too much.

The general left him without a goodbye, he was told by a solider that Jeremy would pick him up. Which was a blessing for them. Which confused Gaster some bit. Asking why they told that they wouldnt have to deal any longer with the horde of lawyers Jeremy employed. Gaster didnt even knew the man did that. Apparently if he had only insisted he could have left. But instead he was highly cooperative. He didnt because the intent of all the humans around him was to keep him in was unarmed against such a powerful collected intent. If he had a bit of determination he could have already be at his lab...

Gaster fingers touched his chest.

That was unusual, he will have to do a scan. He would have awaited to feel determined at any point but...he didnt? Not even once once he was on the base... Highly interesting. Nearly as the determination keeping his soul together was far away? He tugged at it when he woke up on the base but afterwards...he forgot about it with all the other things happening around him... Why wasnt it as active as he was used from it? It was worrying.

He waited boredly, and heard them before seeing them. Actually he was tackled to the floor before he saw them. His blasters. Wing and Ding were ensuring his face would be dripping wet with slobber. He hugged the dogs back thighly. They whined, both were missing Gaster. And he felt overjoyed that he had his two friends back, petting and hugging them back he tried to convey how much he missed them.

"You arent getting in my car like that. Get a towel or shower. " Jeremy was standing arms crossed over his chest and deeply frowning. "Your stink machines are impossible. They made it their life goal to stink up my car and get mud all over my bed. I dont know where they found mud."

He gave both dogs a kiss on their forehead, trying to calm down the over excitement both had. "Thank you for taking care of them."

" They are important to you. ... "Gaster smiled, but before he could form another thank you Jeremy turned away speaking up. "Whatever. Let go."

Soon Gaster was in the back seat Wing and ding heads nuzzling into his lap, both of them napping. His hands searching through the bag beside him. Jeremy swore on his life that no one entered his lab. He spotted the scanner. Briefly he gave a look to Jeremy who was driving. Then he didnt care any longer. The human most likely snooped around anyway, but at the very least didnt let anyone beside him know or do it. He kep his knowledge under deal.

He activated the scanner and a heart shape floated out his chest.

"Holy! What are you doing back there?! What did you pull out!? Put it back in!" The car waved for a bit as Jeremy was trying to look both at the road in front and at Gaster in the back.

"Could you try not to crash." Gaster simple said reading the status. No changes in determination levels. His soul got one shard less, which meant two shards managed to heal up. Most likely during the way to the base. It didnt exactly explain why the determination didnt spike and influenced him like he noticed it had a habit of doing. It briefly made him worry, without it to hold the shards together Gaster had no illusion his soul would simple be gone. Without soul he is dead... would he turn to dust or be a corpse? Interesting question he didnt exactly wanted to know the answer to...

Was it because of the company? Would that be good for Frisk? He will have to give it some more research before he decided.

The car pulled over and Gaster looked up from the scanner.

Jeremy was staring at him.

"What?"

"... Can I see mine?"

Gaster let his soul float back inside his chest. He had not awaited Jeremy to say that.

"I dont see the point of it..."He could see the businessman about to handle for it. He didnt let him as he turned the scanner around to get it in front of Jeremy chest. "But if it means you continue driving already. Fine."

The human soul floated out, and Gaster got a in depth scan from it. He saw the man take a deep breath as he was staring at that which was his soul.

"Thats me..."

"Yes, thats the culmination of your being."

"Its not rotten."

Gaster blinked and looked at the human more carefully. The statement was said in a dead serious tone, like question a fact one knows so well and knew it was true, but suddenly wasnt any longer. "Its nothing, forget it... How do I get it back inside?"  
There was doubt and some other emotions most leaning towards hurt. The soul floated back inside just as Jeremy asked how to do it.

"You are a good man." Gaster offered, only to have the man in question bark out a bitter laugh.

"For a good man I sure cannot hold a wife for long." Jeremy was dropping back into the driver seat.

"...oh... "Wait, wife, not woman or girlfriend..."Wait you are married? Since when?"

Another laugh a more warm one. "Gosh that why I love you my friend! Will have my second divorce soon, more like in few days."

"Second? You were married twice?" How did he missed that? Well maybe because he never asked Jeremy about his life? Logically he answered to himself. It still was surprising.

"It doesnt matter, it not like either believed I cheated on them with you... well my first did for a while."

Gaster opened his mouth to only close it again. As Jeremy started the car again calling it a joke, he swore to himself to never allow Jeremy and Maria to be in the same room as him. They would bond on his misery. The ride continued and continued and...

"This isnt the way to Ebott."

"Took you long enough to notice."

"Am I being kidnapped?" Gaster dead seriously asked, Wing woke up raising his head and eyeing the front seat. Gaster hand moved to rest on top of the dogs head. Keeping him calm, saying its fine with his pats. Jeremy shifted in his seat, his eyes going to the back mirror eyeing Gaster before speaking once more.

"Have to show off the co-founder to the shareholders, as well as introduce you to a recent friend who helped us with this mess." The words were spoken hastily, and Gaster debated if it will be too much effort to strangle the driver. It would be, he concluded.

"Fine." He said, fingers touching the pocket with his phone in it. It surprised the human that he wasnt protesting but only pouting. Truthfully to himself he was simply too tired. He finally let his guard down once he wasnt surrounded with red souls.

No, that wasnt it. He was a horrible monster. A coward. It was too tempting not to check the stream, postponing it because humans had things for him to do. Having something else to think about then the fate of his son. Wondering if he was already dusted... He probably wasnt. Sans was strong when he was angry. And Frisk made him angry and pushed him to a place he had nothing to lose. Had no more reason to pretend. No more reason to hope for a happy ending for even one monster.

So ...Gaster will hope instead of him.

But he was tired, maybe after a nap. Yes, that sounded doable. After a nap... He fall asleep soon.


	7. Chapter 7

The next day came and the board meeting went a hair away from horrible catastrophic. Gaster spend most of the time simply silently sitting while all hell broke loose around him. Screams in different languages. Hands waving, and at one point paper and a pen flying over his head.

In Jeremy world that meeting went over well, because no one died. Gaster wasnt sure if that was a joke or if that was a thing that happened in human companies. His job was to present something that will sell in millions and the board will kiss his shoes as a thank you. Gaster was not interested in that thank you. Jeremy laughed.

The following day he found himself in front of an office room in as officially looking building. Jeremy simple walked in and greeted the older tall man. The white hair and short beard, prideful standing and a more than warm smile were directed towards him. And for a brief moment Gaster was reminded of Asgore, a Asgore who wasnt bent on revenge. An Asgore who wanted peace.

It was one of his projects to make the foundation for it to become truth.

"Senator Elliot, this is dr. Gaster. "

"Its a pleasure of meeting you. I heard many things about you. "

Gaster hummed as he took the hand. Jeremy trusted the man enough to introduce him personally to Gaster. "Hope it was only the great." Gaster politely replied shaking the man's hand. A firm handshake.

"I would say more like only the best." The politician replied. "Please sit, would you like something?"

"Coffee would do." Jeremy said as he dropped into the chair as if he owned it... thougth who knew maybe the man did own it, Gaster was getting only a small portion of what he was sure Jeremy earned thanks to him. He sat down himself.

"If possible I would like tea... a flower blend tea if it is not to much trouble?"

"Never saw you drink tea before." Jeremy commented surprised at the choice. Gaster gave him a irritated look, he felt a bit of nostalgia. Especially after the army dealings. There was nothing wrong with it... The phone felt heavy in his pocket. Still unchecked.

"A really good friend of mine has a hobby of making tea mixes and I tended to be the one to test them."

" Ah there is Hibiscus tea. You friend sounds like an enjoyable company." The old man said placing the cups down and pouring the coffee and then the hot water over the tea. Gaster opted to watch the man move, Jeremy taking over the friendly chit chat. The doctor side glanced the human. There was some form of intent coming of Jeremy. His eyes looking at the old man... his instincts whispered to him that it was a test.

Jeremy brought him here so he could test the old man... for something... that what his instincts told him.

He trusted his instincts.

He mentally tugged at the determination.

No response.

He poked mentally the place where the sensation usually originated from.

He noted that a sensation of ... sulking was what he got. Highly interesting but not what he needed. He needed to be a bit more determined. He had a feeling this human, Elliot would be useful to him. He understood in that moment that this was Jeremy way of apologizing for the last several days. Gifting him a possible tool he could use. Keep the goose happy if you want its golden eggs... well more like cooper eggs while the diamond ones were only for his king.

He took a deep breath and mentally imagined his bony finger poking annoyingly and repeatedly at the right spot.

He was determined to use this chance to his full advantaged. There will be peace. He rejoined the conversation.

"...Personally, I wouldnt say the look of a skinny Santa. You look to me more like the next president."

"Nah, you are just saying that because the election season is coming up."

Oh did it now? Gaster never before went voting. Maybe he should change that.

" I dont have the bite to get to the top. I prefer to support the younger one..." Elliot continued, and Gaster could see Jeremy seating back into the chair eyes calculating something far ahead. For once Gaster was sure what numbers the man was seeing. Investments.

"I disagree. You look like someone who will change the world for the better. Why not give it a shot." Elliot said no, starting to look less amused by the situation.

"And harm one of the other candidates? Its best if everyone stands united."

"... I can picture your name in history books right beside the important ones like Washington and Lincoln. "

"I dont have such ambitions. " Elliot pointedly said, Gaster took the tea in his hands and took a sip. It was tasteless red water. He put the cup back.

"What about bravery?" Why did he say that? He felt determined to change this person's mind. So the determination lead him down the way. A way to success. "Would you be brave enough to accept ... misfortune refuges. Accept their wish for peace and unity. With their support to create a new era of progress, discovery and development beyond human imagination. All because you are brave enough to give mercy and accept it in return."

A deal, name in history for a little task.

"Are you a speech writer?" The old man hand was going through his white hair. Hearing the passionate words from the doctor as his hands moved imaging that bright future. The determination was pulsing with a never ending sensation of hope. Peace was possible.

Elliot said no.

Gaster spend the next two days determinedly visiting the man.

Elliot said yes.

The next day he was in his lab. The money wasnt a problem, but the other candidates sure were. Yet there was internet a cruel and beautiful place. The social media would influence the people directly and isolate the ones who had no chance of changing their vote. If he does it right that is. The media is a predictable place, especially after listening to so long about it from Maria. All those files were now pulled from the back of his mind and used in his researching.

Twelve hours later he turned towards the screens and turned them on. Determination in his bones burning.

Frisk barely survived the first attack. Getting now their turn and going towards Sans, one hit and its done. Could he turned it on to see how it all ends? Just in time for dust? The world outside the screen was forgotten. There was only the golden hall. The knife coming closer and closer and slashed down.

Sans cheated.

Sans avoided the attack.

Gaster never felt more prideful of his son than in that moment.

The next bone send flying hit them dead on. Blood splattered on the golden floor. Sans sighed, placing his hands back into his pockets. Frisk hand twitched. The kid wasnt dead in one hit but was dying, a slow death. Sans sat down beside the closest pillar. He waited. It took only a minute before Frisk breathed out finally. The face anything but blank.

Switching the cameras around Gaster watched a curious scene. Flowey was crying in front of Asgore. Warning him of the demon. But as nothing came Asgore attempted to comfort the flower. And for once Flowey didnt kill the king... Asriel didnt kill his dad. Interesting.

The load occurred and once more Frisk was walking up to his son, time passed Gaster hands doing work while his eyes were always watching. Analyzing the strengths of attacks, the speed and control of magic. He knew Sans was using only a forth of his magic at a time so he could pass himself and last longer, show the kid every trick he could think up. And the kid?

Frisk was getting better at avoiding each bone but not before dying at every bone at least once. After a point in the fight Sans would talk while waiting for the load he was sure would occur. The first time it surprised Gaster to her Sans talk after the kid was dead.

"you know... its not like i know everything" Sans started."... but there are snippets, deja vu and your reactions... some strong memories kinda stick just on the edge of my mind. but i am good at fishing things out that edge just where the time tries to make me forget...hehe, could say i have practice... with not forgetting."

Load after load Frisk managed to avoid more bones but was still far from able to land the one hit on Sans that they needed to win. One lucky hit will be all it takes...

"i feel watched." Sans said after he sat opposite the pillar from where frisk body was hanging days or a few weeks since the chatting started. "there is this memory, lets assume it is a memory and not wishful thinking."

Gaster stopped moving his full attention on the skeleton on the screen, he learned a lot about his son, it was like now in this moments between loads there was no point in pretending anymore. "the blue red sky of a sunset and there in a moment of surprise as I sensed this magic. i would recognize it anywhere...G... it was you on the other side of anomaly... sorry. if you are watching."

The first time he watched them on the surface, his Gaster blaster hitting the barrier... It filled the doctor with warmth to know to see against all hopes that Sans was indeed not forgetting him... even if time itself erased and rewritten his existence.

"Sans..."

"i forgot a lot. but i know you would find a way to keep an eye socket on us... you must hate me." Sans eyed Frisk forcing himself to see what he did. Gaster voice echoed with comforting words that could reach the skeleton in the golden hall. "I wouldnt ever hate either of you. Regardless of what you do or what happens. I understand it... I understand it fully."

Yet another round. Even more time has passed. Sans was looking out of the window, the glass has been cracked due a Gaster blaster firing too close to it. " ... i could end it frisk. that you don't reset instantaneous is a weakness. i could try and absorb your soul. or whats left from it right now, before it pulls itself back together... but ..."

The man watching knew it would be worth a try. There was a chance it would work, but it would also mean everyone who was dead would stay dead. He didn't want it to end like that. As his son spoke again, Gaster smiled. He wasn't the only one thinking that way.  
"i am selfish. i want to be with pap. if you leave us both dead or reset to when we are both in snowdin, it really doesn't matter to me... not that i will tell you that to your face...maybe i hope we are still friends kiddo. hope you give us a happier ending..."

"We are both selfish, son."

Another load. It was the 15th week sans was keeping the kid from going any further. Gaster was only aware of the passage of time due to the election season. Maybe that distraction was what made him keep his resolve to keep watching the fight over and over. While his hands were working, tinkering and typing. It was nearly as if there were two of him, the one watching and the one talking with hands. Politics were annoying the candidates were trying to take his pick down with lies.

So the doctor collected their dirty laundry and send to the opposing side. A nice gift that soon will became their downfall. He sat up Maria for an interview with Elliot. She was professional, it pleased Gaster.

Frisk looked at Sans as he warned the kid not to cross the line. "Ok." Frisk responded and turned away. They both watched the kid simple leave. Did Frisk give up? No. The human was to determined so what was going on?

Sans waited in the hall for half an hour before he walked out of it. He went to Asgore. He recognized the way Sans was behaving. It was the same way he did when Frisk denied Papyrus mercy. Just instead of Toriel this time Asgore was the one alive and Sans stayed by his side.

He watched as Sans was cracking puns and the king unable to ignore them. But not having the type of mind to think of puns himself he couldnt reciprocate. Sans became the fool for the king. Days passed and Gaster watched as Frisk returned to SNowdin, and slept on the couch in his sons home. He watched as the kid build a snowman and then eat cold leftovers from Papyrus cooking.  
No monster that managed to evacuate, dared to come close to them. No one crossed their way. Nearly no one.  
Flowey asked them what were they doing in that charming way he tried to be more intimidating.

"Vacation."

Gaster was sure his and flowey face were identically disbelieving. Flowey informed the king and Sans about it. Asgore wanted to try and talk with Frisk to resolve this maybe over a cup of tea. Except Sans didnt let him, telling if he died too all the monsters that were hiding would simple fall with their last hope lost.

In the tenth night after the talk with his son, the king sneaked away from the sleeping skeleton that stayed by his side every moment of the day. Supporting and being a good and supportive company. He walked without stopping until he was in front of the six souls.

"Howdy! What are you thinking you are doing there?~" Flowey popped behind the king who jumped in place his palm outstretched to take the human soul. The king didnt get to say anything even akin to a defence as little Flowey the flower, ones ago Asriel their prince who died and who was reborn with out his soul surrounded his father with flower petals.

Asgore could only manage to be surprised as his body fall to dust. Flowey killed him, the king soul lingered vulnerable and helpless.

"Cant have you go through that now. I will never let you absorb any human soul. Ever." The flower smashed the king soul. That was an interesting reaction. Quite fascinating actually. Would Asgore... he would if he saw no other way. He was watching him about to do it. The king was only seconds away from trying to consume all the six souls and take care of that danger... Gaster knew him well enough... He explained the effect of absorption would have, even back then Gaster wasnt sure if the king was asking him to explain to understand how it had to be for his son... or if he was asking for himself.

The more curious portion of him, had to wonder if the king action would transform him in similar fashion like flowey? Omega Asgore? Even more interesting was that this was the reason flowey kept murdering his king...

In the following morning Sans called the kid, they didnt pick up, but few hours later they loaded. They were back in the golden hall.

It continued.

* * *

Gaster was on the phone practicing with his candidate how he was supposed to sound to win them all. The man didnt always like what the doctor told him. But there was no denying the visible results that came from following the advice. Gaster eyes were still on the screen. Sans was sparing Frisk...

"Huh? Dr gaster, you stopped mid word is some-"  
"Call me later."

His blaster barked at the screen. It was obvious Frisk was unable to make a choice. The child with the knife simple stared at the skeleton they were so vigorously trying to kill for mounts now. Wing and Ding sensed their master distress and slowly stood up from their spot. The spot along the wall where they lay for hours upon hours observing their master and keeping him safe. Sometimes even from himself.

"Sans... revenge will not feel good... You will only anger them and make them more determined to get you back... stop it."

Frisk was having an internal battle, knife actually shaking. The kid wanted to accept mercy, after everything to give up was so tempting. But they were determined to stick with their choices. It was agonizing how slowly Frisk was moving towards Sans outstretched arms. Then without a word the knife dropped out their palm. There was a look of hope in the kids eyes. A shine that Gaster didnt see in years.

Hope was the start...

And the doctor looked away, waiting to hear it what he knew was coming.

Sans hesitated half a second before he continued with his plan. The sound of bone piercing flesh a really well know sound by the observing monster. As the kid was dying Sans teased them as if he would a good friend after they sat on a whoopee cushion. He looked again. Telling them if they were still friends, Frisk wouldnt return. The absolute burning rage and determination were like two red flames in their eyes. For a moment Frisk eyes were red. Did the determination leaked out their soul tinting their eyes?

Then came the silence.

"... yeah paps would be absolutely vivid with me... then i cant imagine him angry, hehehe..." Sans spoke to no one in particular... but the scientists watching imagined the words were directed at him.

"No, he would be something much worse for PUNishment. He would be disappointed."

"before we moved to snowdin and assert ourself... we spend a lot of time in waterfall... i remember the time when pap was simple walking around the echo flowers. i think he was searching for him... he didnt remember, at that time neither did i... but he was looking. there was this one time he simply stood still looking at the ceiling. echo flowers whispering around him. As if waiting to hear something..."

Hearing it made it so much harder... it must have been unbearable having a part of life erased, motivation and idol simple gone leaving a hole in their minds.

"he held a purple scarf in his hands. when i called out for him, he placed it around one of the flowers in a caring fashion. i asked him where he got it... he told me that he picked in the dump and that we should go. then we came to snowdin and soon after pap declared out the blue he would be a royal guard to serve the king... hehe... when i started piecing things together, he was already asking undyne to train him... i wondered if we visited echo flowers often... "

They did, he enjoyed and liked the whispers of flowers. It made him feel less alone, and when Sans and Papyrus entered his life they would often found him there when he was having a bad day or felt like hope would slip his fingers away.

"he tried to make peace and move on... i am positive he tried...but... you know something i realized while fighting frisk here and now... the basement is much more cleaner then it should be if i was the only one going down there. i never cleaned it... yet it doesnt have a blanket of dirt...i am wondering if pap maybe hid things from me too...like i did from him... i wonder-"

The reset interrupted the slow monologue Sans was having. Leaving Gaster in a emotional mess, the determination was pulsing encouragingly in his chest, his own hopes twisting... could both his sons have some recollection of him?

Just as awaited Frisk was fighting with a new sense of determination. Their determination burning, even so... Sans will not last much longer.

Time was passing in a blur. Was it the next load or did months pass by? Sans never repeated the musing he had that one time about Papyrus. Frisk landed the one hit.

Gaster fingers twitched both Wing and Ding were nuzzling against his leg as he was shaking. This should not affect him like this. It was just a matter of time until the child lands one hit. He was waiting for it for months. He shouldnt feel anything, because now with Sans out the way only Asgore was left and... Gaster had a feeling Flowey would kill the king. With the results of their actions so clear, knowing that any monster left will fall they will reset.

Everyone will be alive again and then... and then... he still lacked a way to reach them. He held back his urge to yell.

Frisk watched Sans dust, then the kid didnt move. The human stood there not moving. A face filled with disappointment and a sensation of being lost. Instead of going towards Asgore they loaded.

Frisk was grinning at Sans looking happy and joyful even. His son was clever, he understood that he had lost. And yet Frisk dragged him back from dead. Gaster could see the brief fear in Sans body, then the anger came back and things continued once more. Now it was nearly like a dance. A anger filled dance.

Frisk still died.

Not as much...

They took one more vacation and then loaded it all over again. Frisk would walk up to his son, and stepped over the line, to fight.

Until Frisk didnt suffer a single hit.

Only then did the kid move on. Elliot won the election. Gaster rejected the offer to be on the inauguration ceremony. He offered advice in his cabinet picks.

He knew Elliot was giving his speech right about now as he watched Frisk step down the hall with a slow and light step. There it was... Asgore was trying to talk Frisk down... He had no chance, Flowey took his life.

With the king gone no monster will have hope left. No one was left to replace that position, no one to give hope to the survivors regardless how little of them were left. In some days maybe weeks? The underground will be empty. Curiously Gaster wondered if Gerson would be the last monster alive. He felt like that would be the case. The old turtle had a knack for living on.

Frisk killed Flowey.

That he didnt await.

But then something else was happening on the screen.

Another child was standing now in front of Frisk. The feeling of void slowly wrapping around the kings garden. Frisk didnt look up, neither were they phased by the appearance. Gaster soul twitched at the sight. The cloths, the hair and the voice... He knew them so well.

"Chara..." And the two kids spoke, that was Chara. The soul was awakened when Frisk came... At first chara was confused... to think that both children didnt properly move on ...to think that when Asriel was confusing Frisk with Chara he wasnt so much as confusing them because they looked alike but because charas determination was intertwined with Frisk and every action Frisk took Chara was there along the ride.

His scientist mind suddenly had an epiphany. It couldnt be, could it?

Gaster took the phone to keep watching as he was running out the door with hands full of the right instruments. Wing and Ding only half a step behind him. Barking and keeping an eye so he wouldnt fall to his death in his haste. They were already old dogs and running like that was not the thing they were as good as when they were younger, yet they didnt leave the man alone. He heard the plan of the kids.

"Erase?! No, do not dare to collapse the time! The kinds of effects it would have on the surface time would be catastrophic... that is if the anomaly would drop when such a thing would happen."

He was putting his instruments up working on, his knees in the dirt the walls of the anomaly in front of him. He worked faster than he ever did in his both lives. He had to do it before the next reset... or erasing.

Frisk was thinking about the decision on hand.  
Gaster begged Frisk to be in doubt just long enough he could... a soft ping.

He was right.

He ...

He realized what it meant for him...

Fingers touched his own chest.

The determination that held his soul together... It came from... It would mean... would be...

Frisk decided against erasing. Reasoning that a second run from the start will make sure they didnt miss anything.

"Oh you did miss something. You missed me!" Gaster howled back at the kid, he was running out the time.

He knew what he could do now...

He had a plan...

He needed to break a promise.


	8. Chapter 8

He had a plan...

He needed to break a promise.

The kid reseted, it was instantaneously. He had limited time now. He could count the seconds down.

"My blasters, I need you to protect me." Both dogs obeying barked at him. Wings dropping his head in Gasters lap, while Ding sitting by his side looking as a picture book guard guard.

Sitting there facing the anomaly walls there in the evening sun Gaster closed his eyes taking slow measured breaths. He apologized to his foster mother. As he pushed his mind to slowly sink. He was determined to succeed in this endeavor... no... Gaster mentally smirked. Cleaver. But he figured that out as a teenager... He let go of the determination, allowed to sink until he gave up on control.

Dark.

Darker.

Yet Darker.

His eyes opened, he looked at himself, no longer he was looking as a human. The black slacks and long coat that wrapped around his form giving a sensation of comfort, he looked nearly as if he was melting into the material. His hands were only skin and bones without the skin. Two holes, each one in each palm. Nearly shyly he reached his bony fingers to his face... to his skull. He traced the ridges of the broken skull, the ridges that were maching his scars. He felt like himself.

After forever he felt like himself. And only himself.

Now.

Gaster looked around the darkness, and started floating through it. It was an interesting feeling. The void was staring back at him as he surged and gently moved. It felt like a long time with no real progress. Limited time. He hoped and remembered the memories from a lifetime ago.

The child found in the ruins by Arsiel. With a broken arm and many bruises new as well as old. His theory of what the kid must have gone thought too, whispered to the kings pair. The happy joy to hear Asgore and Tori were taking the little hopeful thing into their family.

How the kid made its its job to get every single monster to know. To find what would make them happy and try to make it possible with an unwavering determination.

A little flower bed was in his view now. No. Not a flower bed he realized as he came closer. The grass was white and brittle as old bone. In the middle was Chara. Sitting with her legs outstretched, eyes a glowing red and checks poofed in annoyance.

It pulled on his soul. The soul that was floating in Charas hands, held together by small fingers, which wrapped around it. The cracks were visible and seeing your own soul held by another being... it was quite fascinating.

Chara ignored him.

He stepped carefully on the white grass and was surprised to notice that it was soft and bending, even if it appeared brittle in his observation. He sat down beside the child. It was comfortable, simple enjoying the presence.  
"...I dont like it." The kid stated after a long while nothing but silence surrounded them.

"Oh? I find this quite interesting." Gaster responded, having Chara huff. The fingers gently curling around the soul that was only kept alive because Chara was determined not to let go of it. It was a protective action.

"I am talking about your plan." His plan, his plan to bring freedom to monsters kind.

"Oh you know what I want to ask you?"

"Uh-huh. I am literally holding the culmination of your being in my palms. So yeah. I do know."  
Silence settled again, minutes ticked by as the child with red eyes were staring off into the darkness all around their little spot.  
"... Can it work?" Gaster finally asked.

"..."  
The kid curled up even more. The soft white shine now barely visible from how the child was trying to shield it away from him.

"Chara?"

"Am I?" The words nearly bitter, and snappish. Challenging him to something. Yet Gaster knew that he owned the truth to them. He didnt back down as he said with no doubt in his voice.

"... No. You arent."

A flinch.

"You are an echo of the moment when I extracted the determination out of Chara. A photograph that feels, thinks and is self aware but...A echo with its own intent and will... not a soul of its own..." Gaster took a depe breath his fingers nervously dancing against each other. " I... I am horrible sorry for what I did to you. All the tests I did on the determination... were you..."

"Aware?... yeah..."  
It was the skeleton turn to flinch. He didnt consider the traits to have awareness... how much of a failed scientist was he to not spot the cruelty he was performing on something that was not a thing... How blind was he. He burned, put acid, tested chemical after chemical. Attempted to mix the traits with force, breaking it apart to only try and rebuild a copy...

"I didnt mind it. " The child voice a soft sound. He looked up in disbelief. His hands stopped moving.

"Sure it hurt, and I didnt know what was going on...but... I was aware of the intent. I could feel the intent of everyone in the lab. I tried to help how ever I could. Every drop of me did. So we could save our friends."

Gaster hands twitched, and the hope of monster kind uncurled itself and shifted to give the speechless skeleton an one armed hug. His soul shining brightly in one of Chara hands. He yielded to their mercy. He hugged them back. Just imaging how he will have to explain this to Tori and Asgore... Chara chuckled at his troubled musing.

"Back then... when I got my last memory back... the child I spoke to, that was you as well?"

"Yeah. It was easier to look like that. You would have trusted yourself over a unknown kid."

"Why did you gave me that memory first?" Chara shifted a bit away and looked down.

"... I hoped the pain would scare you away. So you could have a happy human life. But instead it made you obsessed to figure it all out." A heavy sigh left him as he ruffled the soft brown hair.

"Somethings are meant to happen." He offered as a form of comfort. Another spurt of silence enveloped them. He didnt break it. He waited and watched the determination that was also an echo of chara. Like a echo flower...

"Yeah... I think it could work... but... You will fail if I dont help you." The little echo flower responded, and gave him a glare. "I am not an echo flower. " Chara added pointedly fully aware what nickname and puns he was working in his mind. But those could wait there were more important things at hand.

"Could you please help me to help all monster kind and Frisk?"

"Thats not fair. And you know it. Its not fair to ask me like that!" Chara yelled standing furiously up and being more protective of the soul in their hands. "Its not fair... its not... why... "

"Asriel would wish you helped, wouldnt he?" Gaster didnt move from his spot on the white grass, he observed the tears in the edge of the red glowing eyes.

"Of course he would, but he is dead. I am dead. And everyone else will be dead soon enough again. No one will be in pain and everyone can be together again. Even you! I will just have to let go of your soul and you can join everyone. Thats a fabulous idea isnt it! Because your plan would do the same thing to your soul anyway! So why not use a shortcut!"

At this point Chara was shaking violently, clinging to the white heart with its point up. The many cracks having a faint red glow to them. Yet, Gaster didnt feel fear from the words. Instead he spoke calmly as he was noticing an interesting behaviour. "Flowey came to be because a flower with asriel dust received a small dose of determination. Do you think there is a little echo of you in Flowey as well?"

"..." The red eyes were big.

"The dust as well was not just asriel but asriel after he took in his siblings soul. It was their dust."

The red eyes were staring at him, a look similar to of a lost child in them. He opened his own arms in an invitation of a hug.  
"I believe even if we can not return the soul back, maybe we can dial up what already inside. Its what would make him happy."

The red eyes were now crying freely allowing tears to fall on the white grass. It moved as if there was wind as Chara moved into the hug, determination the only feeling pulsing warmly in his arms as he hugged back.

"...Life is rarely fair... but thats why hope exist, and it only can ever exist if you let time go on." Gaster whispered, hearing the small hiccups break out from Chara. The echo was experiencing his emotion, and now they were both sad, yet hope existed.

"... You are a cheater, you know that." The small voice spoke back at him. Gaster made a fake hurt expression as he caressed the top of the kids head. At times cheating was the only way, for his king he would do anything, for the two he would do anything.

"You want to really break a piece of your soul and send it in the anomaly? Like a trojan horse. " The heap of child in his arms said after another silence lasted on. And in that moment the doctor knew Echo chara would help him. He felt an annoying huff against his ribs, so he throw away that nickname as well.

"Yes. The anomaly is a layer of determination, alive as Frisk, it was created from the combined determination that is yours and Frisk. If we wrap the piece of my soul in your determination we should be able to sneak it past the anomaly. Trick it into believing its just a piece of Frisk soul."

"I spend decades holding your soul together!" Chara protested, but there lacked the strengths in the kids voice. It felt like a pointedly pout.

"I am not asking for you to let it fall apart just... to let me take one shard out. And its not like I didnt already do such a thing before. My soul being in shards would actually make it less painful for me." Gaster smiled joyfully. He received a slap over his skull, Chara was pouting at him, the soul gently resting in the small palm. He continued speaking his plan aloud even if the red eyed child knew it. Explaining it aloud made it more real. Made them more determined.

"The intent I will plant in my soul would pull on the magic in a similar fashion as Undyne was when she denied death. It should create a body and maybe a room. Once Frisk comes up to it the new thing will be something they will not be able to resist. And then when they try to interact with the monster inside the shard will slip past their determination and hide in their soul... Like a small virus of hope and dream."

"What if anyone else comes across that door?"

"If its Sans or Papyrus, they will receive a message. The solution on how I plan to stop and what needs to be done. Any other monster... the virus like behaviour would change their soul to the point where they will be acting and thinking like me. "

Chara moved fully away and sat on the soft grass. Fingers caressing the edges of shards that made his soul. "So the dream to see sunlight and a bit of hope... would it be enough to do a pacifist round?"

"Frisk didnt erase the time yet, precisely because the child wanted to make sure they didnt miss anything... If I am right and I am the great doctor Gaster. Frisk is following whims. So what would it matter to satisfice the run to see the sun before erasing everything. "

"But once on the surface you plan to influence them."

"Yes, Chara. The child would be close enough for me to use the shard in them as a back door to the place of void they go to reset and load. Then I can influence them to finally give it up. To find the will to move on. But it will only work one time. "

"The other me that is by Frisk will not let you do it." Gaster stayed silent. Chara sighed a sensation of giving up pulsing briefly across the pulse of determination. Before it goals reoriented.

"Fine I will come with you. I should be enough of distraction to myself for you to work your magic. I am sure if I see myself holding a monster soul and one that is so broken... I will think its his. Then I will want it."

Gaster nodded, understanding that his soul will be bait, as well the implication if the other Chara get the soul and/or breaks it... he dies. His life will be literally in his Charas hands. And he didnt mind it at all.

"Are you sure you can hand-le the other you?"

"Pffft, I trained with Gerson how to fight. Do not underestimate either of us."

"I believe in you."

Gaster blinked suddenly he was outside. No he was already outside. The dogs were wrapped over him trying to keep him warm. His eyes wandered and sure enough there was a moonless night. The stars were beautifully.

"Soon Sans. Soon Papyrus and I can watch your star struck eyes while you stargaze." It was late in the night but he couldnt waste any time. The procedures for what he planned out needed to be made and tested asap. He shifted Wing eyes opened and licked his face.

"I am fine."

He petted the blasters, and carried Ding who couldnt brother to wake up while Wing was slowly striding after him. Loudly yawning. He feed them once in the lab and throw himself into work.

Two days later he was ready to extract the piece. The determination in him was really not liking this part of plan. He opted to talking to himself to calm its puls down. He needed to plant the right intent onto the shards or everything will be useless.

Soon enough it did calm down enough for him to continue. He laid down, his soul out and special vial on hand. He was about to put the scalpel inside his soul when a knock came on his door. Both blasters barking at the door. He didnt check the calendar it was a Jeremy day. He groaned. The man really had the worst timing.

There was a chuckle in his head. He send a pout towards Chara unsure if it even arrive there. Shirtless and annoyed he opened the door.

"I will give you a improvements for previous inventions and you leave in five minutes. Deal?"

Jeremy raised a eyebrow. "You forgot."

"I really dont have the time."

"Gala evening. We both are supposed to go there. Elliot insisted and made you did he managed to coax you into promising anything is beyond me. And I think I have news that may interest you."

Gaster blinked at Jeremy. He remembered promising something...  
"Gala evening?... Away from here?"

"Ah come on! I am getting deja vu here. I even got you a suit to wear... well you are half naked so that helps...When was the last time you eat? You are skin and bones. People will mistake you for a skeleton." The human complained as he gave a look over the skinny doctor in front of him.

The childish giggle echoed in his head.

He ignored it started to do calculations. "Do we have several hours?"

"Yeah I came a day early knowing its impossible to get you out in time otherwise."

Gaster turned around and went directly to his work shop where his machine was set up. "Than at least be useful and help me with this straps. I do not have time to make them automatic."

Sure Frisk didnt leave the ruins yet. Still if the kid wanted they could speed by and all this will be for nothing. Jeremy followed after closing the door after himself and followed Gaster.

"Straps?"

"Yes. Make sure my chest is strapped tightly with zero wiggle room."

"... did I interrupt a kinky session...?" The doctor sat down on the chair and groaned a bit.

"Its a sort of experiment the type that goes under deal. Now are you helping or annoying? Helping means getting things done faster." The human surprisingly just went to do as he was told. Obviously the man learned by this point that Gaster usually got what he wanted.

With his chest strapped he felt a lot more sure with the process, his soul flattered out without a care that Jeremy was in the room. The human yelped again. Demanding Gaster to give him a warning if he was doing such a freaky thing. Gaster right hand was completely free to move so it took the sharp tool and pushed it in the determination surrounding the shard he select to take out.

"What are you doing! What the fuck you doing! God! Stop it! "Jeremy was screaming... no actually the screaming was coming from his own lips. Jeremy was annoyingly panicking as he was extracting some of the determination to ensure the shard didnt fall to dust. His focus becoming perfect, the scientist taking more of the control as it was imprinting his intent, unwavering and determinedly.

The shard was in the viral and secure. He had no idea how long it took to get to this point. The red shined brightly as it shifted to fully envelope the white shard. His soul jumped with a snap back into his chest and Gaster closed his eyes.

* * *

Water.

He was up because there was water on his face. Dripping from his hair, and getting everywhere. He coughed.

"Thank god you are alive! Never do that again!"

"I am fine."

"... You are anything but fine!" Jeremy barked out and his dogs growled in warning at the man. Gaster moved his hand and the dog became silent. "How long was I out?"

"A bit shorter than a hour." Jeremy said after he looked at his wrist watch. Gaster eyes shined at the number.

"Perfect, I counted on a three hour black out, because of the shock." The doctor rubbed his chest, the invasion in his soul was still really noticeable and sensitive. It pained him but that was irrelevant.

"Help me stand up." Gaster ordered and Jeremy instantly did as told, aware if he didnt he would stand up anyway. WHich may mean him falling and hurting himself further.

"Can you please tell me what you just did under the deal?" Gaster lead him to the viral and then to another machine starting to do the test to make sure what he created is what he needed. Measuring the intent, dt levels and magic levels.

"Its the most important thing I have created in my human life time." Gaster explained and Jeremy whinned.

"You screamed like a pig on the butcher table..." Jeremy protested, eyeing the small viral with curiosity. Gaster blamed his next words on the light headedness the pain made him feel.

"A skeleton gotta do what a skeleton gotta bone. And I had worse... actually I had it worse a few times. Reason why my followers tended to strap me to the bed when I get hurt."

"... You know I may do that. Its a great idea with your lack of self care." Jeremy said under his breath. In the next hour Gaster recovered enough to get changed and explain to the human that he needed to go outside and put this in a hole he previously dig out.

"You mentioned something about news?" Gaster questioned starting to feel slowly better. Hopeful, after years of unsuccessful attempts and ideas all boiling down to needing the barrier down before he could do anything. He was taking concrete steps that will lead them all to be free. It felt good, it felt glorious. And he wasnt listening to a word Jeremy was saying.

"...Dave kid medical bills."

"What?" Gaster head snapped towards Jeremy, who was still playing support for the doctor that felt a bit unstable on his legs.

"You didnt heard a word I said, did you?"

"I am in the mid of the most important project of my life and real progress is being done. Forgive me for being slightly distracted and hopeful... What about Dave? Did something bad happened to him? Maria told me that his comedian tour didnt go so well. " Gaster questioned and Jeremy was prideful of himself that he managed to move the tall man to sit down, shifting to the kitchen to find some food.

"Yeah, he isnt as funny as he believed to be so his gigs started to become rare and rare and well once his kid got ill, apparently he got into a ton of debt. So I made my lawyer draft a contact for you. I know you want that house he inherited, right? Well you just have to fill in the number you offer. While the guy has to sign and you will be the new owner of the house. I will even not complain if you overpay it this time. Arent I golden?"

"I thougth your credit card was diamond. Are you in trouble my sugar daddy?"There was a defining silence as jeremy froze mid movement. His head slowly turning to face Gaster.

"... Where did you hear that phrase, so I can strangle the person who ruined you." Jeremy deadpanned not used to that type of humor from Gaster. And Gaster he blamed that joke on his still dazed mind and sensitive soul that still hurt.

"Internet. Spent a lot of time on it during the campaign."

Leftover spaghetti were pushed in his hands and Gaster started to eat them with a hum. He may have forgotten to eat after his Chara discovery. Actually he may forgotten to eat some time before that as well. The documents and the suit appeared beside him just when he was done wolfing the food down. Wing and Ding went to nap by his side. Pleased that Gaster was eating something. Looking the document over, he thanked Jeremy.

"Once I put the vial in the right place, I would not be able to do anything for at least few days, and worst several weeks. I will have to simply wait. Wait and watch out for the right moment and then do my plan. "

A soft sensation of magic rolled in his bones, all the years it slowly collected, it will be used soon enough. And it would be worth every second of it. Gaster did it, going out he opened the vial and was overjoyed when the little red clothes shard slipped pass. The first moment he thougth the anomaly would still reject it, but it didnt.

In Jeremy car Gaster was watching with fascination as the door appeared in Waterfall. A door that was never there, but to everyone in the underground who wasnt aware of the resets it was always there and always locked.  
Frisk still didnt leave the ruins when everything was set up.

Now he had to wait.

While he wait he had things to prepare.

Never before freedom felt this real. The Gala evening all but sneaked up on the doctor. His enthusiasm was overflowing into everything he did. Unintentionally charming several of Elliots close collages.

"How about a dance, doctor?" A elegant clothed female hummed. She was someone's daughter wasnt she?

"I dont do dance." Gaster smiled shaking his head, he was about to shift himself into chatting about some science topic with that uni professor and expert he spotted earlier. Chara had other plans. He felt the determination spiking in his soul.

Home was starting to feel like home. He was proud of his progress as the last housing were finally completed. With light steps he solved the puzzle on his way and set them back up to reach his king and queen and report the good news. The spikes slid in and out, and soon enough he was standing in front of the pair.

"We should celebrate such an accomplishment!"

"Thats a wonderful idea Tori. What do you recommend we do WingDings?" The king hummed caressing his bread.

Gaster stared at the royal pair, he tilted his head bony finger tapping on his chin. "... It would raise the spirit... maybe something like a dance party?"

Tori liked the idea and instantly went into organizing mode, calling the monster that knew how to play instruments or sing. It planning and setting up passed in a flash and most monsters were now dancing the music the most cheerful they had since their Home become the underground.

There was a joyful laughter as the king and queen danced and Gaster was clapping with many of the monsters around. It was such a hope inspiring moment. The pair took a break from dancing and moved to the table where they were seated. "Doctor, I have yet to see you dance." The queen spoke as she sat down for a small break and to drink a bit.

"I dont do dance." He responded but Asgore laughed over his head. A heavy furry palm settled on top of his skull, as the goat monster shook his head. "He is a amazing dancer, Tori."

The amazing dancer in question sunk into his chair, as his king continued. Both hands waving in a pleading, please dont Asgore.

"When we were growing up we had the same dance teacher. I cannot count how often I ended up stepping on his feet. And I am not the lightest fellow." Asgore chuckled at the old memory. A memory that belonged to another life one filled with clouds, sky, moon and stars.

"Sir." Gaster winned, because now Tori was insisting on seeing him dance.

"I dont have a partner." Gaster opted as an excuse. It was a failure because he could see the queen glint in her eyes as she looked up and over his head. Exactly where Asgore was standing. He could feel the husband and wife silent conversation going over his head. He resisted the pun. His hands tapping against the table softly awaiting to hear what his fate shall be.

"Then how about I dance with you. For a simpler time sake. I promise I will try not to step on your feet again! I got better since then." Asgore hummed in a final tone but Gaster still had one ace ready.

"Ah but what will the other monster think. The king should dance with his queen." He nodded knowledgeably. Using his last ace.

"That is perfect we both can dance with you some more~" The queen offered her own cheerful smile an unbeatable argument.

He was already pulled up to his feet by his king and his big warm smile. "Ah... I guess this goat be an interesting night." He let the pun go, as he surrender accepting his fate to dance in front of all the monsters in the underground. Asgore and Torial both laughed at the pun, causing the skeleton to grin skull splittingly wide himself. Surprisingly enough his feet didnt get stepped on that night.

The memory melted away as he spinned the woman around like wind. His bones moving with an elegance nearly forgotten. Not in danger, neither in survival but in simple joy. A childlike giggle echoed in his mind the determination pulsing strong. Gaster could all but feel the echo planning to set him up to dance with the boss monster once they are free. But for now he enjoyed the company of humans, wondering how strange it was in the end.

* * *

The evening passed and morning came, determination still strong Gaster was standing in front of the door. The address of Dave home. The document and offer for the house in his hands. This will help Dave more than he could imagine. It would cover al his debt and allow him to start a small business or use the money till he got on his feet.

The house of his grandpa will become the first home on the surface for monsters, fulfilling the old mans wish to help monster for what had their ancestor done. He took a deep breath and knocked.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

The door swung open, Dave his cheerful friend was only a stressed shadow of himself. Lack of sleep and healthy meals made the man skin appear sick and pale. His hair long and reaching to his shoulder, appeared unkempt and forgotten. Dave looked older than Gerson.

"...Gaster?! What are you doing here?"

Gaster smile didnt move from his face and without a word he opened the folder and showed the document. His finger tapping the number he was offering. It was several times over the market price. Dave eyes were big, conflicted emotion passing over the man face. From anger, insult to softer ones disbelieve and Gaster hoped that he didnt imagined the brief thank you in the man eyes.

"Darling, who is on the door?"

"No one."

The spiteful response suddenly winning over all the mix of emotions. Gaster flinched, no one. Forgotten, it hurt. It was a punch way way below the waist line. Still he didnt drop his big smile and then he pushed the document into Dave. WHo tried not to take it.

His wife walked out the room and stopped staring as her husband had a glare on his face both hands up in the air. As a tall thin man in black coat and white sweater was pressing a folder int Dave chest. Gaster eyes locked with the wife and he winked at her, stepping away and hearing the folder falling on the floor.

He didnt wave for good bye. He simple left hearing the door slam loudly behind him. It was fine. Dave will not be able to say no. His wife will not say no. They will be covered. Even if Gaster wasnt part of Dave life, he hoped the man does now better. This was the only help he could offer the man. Respecting his wish to not hear him speak.

He returned to his lab. Three days later Dave accepted the offer, the documents send to Gaster lab address. Gaster called the remodeling crew and started prepping the house to be able to accommodate the monsters that follow Frisk out. The following morning Frisk left the ruins, hands covered in dust.

Sans did his joke, they didnt even react.

They went on down the part where every monster fail in their wake. Dust left behind.

Gaster watched, wondering if putting a bunch of posters with spiderman on the walls was a bit on the nose. With great power comes great responsibility. A adecvate role model for the child who held a lot of power at the moment, and didnt felt the consequences of her actions. A hero who lost his beloved and still did good even if it breaks his heart. Even if he couldnt save everyone, when that was what he wanted the most. Still didnt abuse their power.

Gaster ordered more spiderman themed merchandise for Frisk room.

Sans shortcutted to his station in waterfell. It will not take long before Frisk was now facing Papyrus. Hearing his son voice over the past days was so nice. To know this will be the last time he dies, filled the doctor with determination... Even so he opted to watch Sans instead of Papyrus death. He knew how the tall skeleton will die. Sans couldnt stay still as he walked down the various parts. Sans passed the door.

Sans stopped in place.

The short skeleton walked back to be in front of the door.

His eyes analytically going over the simple door. Gaster watched the skeleton about to touch the door. His fingers hover over it.

"... I... remember this magic?...Its ... but how?... You dont exist. Why is your magic here?" A smaller monster run up to Sans, asking him if he saw the human or his brother. Sans twitched. Door forgotten he helped the monster to join the evacuation and then went to where his brother tried to stop the kid.

This went exactly the same like last time. No one left alive. Frisk was looking in absolute every corner searching the monsters out from their hiding spots. Face a blank mask. Until the kid came in the hallway where his door was. The mask fall and confusion come over them. Of course someone who run up and down the Underground for years, decades would notice if suddenly there was something new.

They bite the bait. Opening the door and walking pointedly up to him. It was surreal feeling to see yourself, as a skeleton in black simple waiting and smiling at the human. Likucily the kid left the door open and with the camera he could observe the events.

"You are the royal scientist, arent you? The one who build the core...The only monster I didnt yet meet... Are you here to stop me?" Frisk questioned the monster in front of them. And Gaster felt a shiver go down his spine. How? Sure there were hints and things that were left in the underground that indicated that time didnt fully erase him from there. The core couldnt be build on its own and Alphys used a lot of his research and blueprints to build a lot of things... The river person warned frisk of him... Would they not try to interact with him? Ignore him? His plan would fail.

He WAS trying to stop them... But... he believed in them...Papyrus did even when his skull was cut of his spine. He trusted in the kid and the memory of another timeline. Frisk could be saved still. Chara could be saved still. Or the echo of them still could. Asriel would want it too.

The silence was heavy, the him made from a single soul shard was simple smiling. Hands slowly opening in a invitations of a hug or try and cut me... It was free to the onlooker interpretations. Frisk attempted to go in a fight with him.

Gaster let a relieved sigh as the skeleton on his screen screeched and vanished. Or at least it appeared so. The shard slipped in when Frisk was caught off the guard by the sudden reaction.

The kid spend next two days entering and leaving the room or simple wandering and returning to it. Gaster was amused to watch the kid crawl on the floor knocking on every millimeter of it. Feeling the walls up and even bringing a chair to inspect the ceiling.

Gaster was ordering a gardener to pretty the back yard up a bit. Not to perfection but to have something for his king to start off with, as Frisk reloaded to just after meeting him and moved on and faced Undyne the monster felt the magic tug from the heroine. She struck them down. The kid returned.

Gaster was putting the bottles of ketchup in one cabinet and in the other he filled with spaghetti in the house he has became the new owner of.

The kid strolled through hotlands and the labs.

Gaster took a nap with his blasters.

Frisk faced Sans.

Briefly it looked like the kid wanted to ask Sans something. But then the kid eyes became determined and the line was crossed.

Sans hold the kid off for only a full two days before Frisk managed to not suffer a single hit. The way the child body moved was eirre. Too perfect, too fast, too sure.

Sans was falling apart slowly become dust.

"Sansy. This will be the last time. Soon, my son. " Gaster spoke as his Sans eyes narrowed half his body gone.

"...if you says it g." Sans responded a bigger smile on his face, as it moment later turned to dust. Gaster stared motionlessly. Could it... the shard was him. Sans was always the more sensitive to changes in magic. Always able to pinpoint even the smallest particles out of order. Of course he would be able to hear the little pulse hidden in Frisk soul. He wanted to comfort his dying son. The man softly smiled, hope filling his soul. This will soon end. Very soon.

And he was ready whatever the consequences turn out to be.

Chara was once more in front of Frisk.

"It has to work." Gaster whispered as he observed.

He felt determined that it will work.

Frisk hand hoovered over the erase option.

"What is it partner?"

No response.

"Ugh, howdy? Anyone home in there?" Chara voice spoke in an annoying tone.

"I didnt see the sun for a really long time." Frisk softly answered, Gaster was pleased to see the shift from blank face to a bit of confused as the shard was influencing Frisk.

"What?"

"I want to see it one more time." The Chara on the screen, twitched. There was something in the way the echo stood. How it watched when Frisk decided not to erase the world. When the kid had a hopeful smile turned towards their partner.

"How curious. You must be misunderstanding. Since when were you the one in control?" The echo attacked Frisk, who side stepped them with a curious ease. It happened all in a split second. Then nothing was happening but the two having a glaring match surrounded in darkness. One with red eyes and one with blank stare. Minutes ticked by.

"Interesting." Chara on the screen said putting the knife back and starting to walk towards Frisk.

"Quite." Gaster mumbled.

"You want to go back? You want to go back to the world you destroyed." Chara poked Frisk in the chest with a finger.

"We." Frisk responded, and Chara only found appropriately to stare. "The world we destroyed. The world we couldnt save."

Chara looked away from Frisk, there was...hurt? Even with eyes made out of black void, the echo was easy to read to the skeleton. "But you cannot accept it." Frisk spoke softly. "... I hope to see one more sunset before we end it, partner."

"Exactly." Chara sighed. Nodding at the word partner. They were partners... It was curious. "Then it is finally done."

"Yes." Frisk affirmed.

"Well, at least it will be fun to see his confusion when you are super nice to everyone."

The world fall apart as the reset occurred. Everything was set back to the begin. Gaster wide grin was skull splitting. "It will be fun seeing your confusion once its all done."

A pacifist run.

Becoming friends with everyone.

Saving all that can be saved.

He had done it. They were one step closer to the end.

* * *

Gaster started dialling numbers. He called Jeremy first telling him he will not be available for the next several days, maybe more. He didnt care for anything, if the human comes to annoy him he will let his blaster on him. He informed Maria to stay in the country as her story soon will come. He gave a call to his foster parents, telling them that he is close to a freeing their grandchildren. He asked them to be patient until he call them again.

With the social put on hold, Gaster moved to the next task. Slipping via a back door he left for himself he used the police files and changed Frisk birth date and other needed facts to make Tori adoption of them that much easier. It was then he spotted a several weeks old police report. Frisk father died in a drunken knife fight in a bar he frequented often. Now the child truly didnt had anyone left or anywhere to go. He moved on with his work.

Gaster was pleased as he kept watching the kid making everyone happy. There were moments Sans frowned watching the kid back. But then he would shake his head going back to his wide smile. Memories of them killing everyone? Yet disbelieves as they were so friendly and merfull... It will be fine.

Gaster walked up the trail and up to the anomaly walls. He prepared the spell with which help he will use the shard to slip in. His blasters Wing and Ding were sitting by his legs watching the clearing where the monsters will see their first sunset. The dogs were old and tired. But they would keep their master safe at all cost.

It was late spring, the doctor noted. "... Nearly twenty years ago, I sat by the campfire when you crossed my path child. You dropped in the underground and left me behind. To watch you try again and again. Soon it will end, and for the first time you will be moving forward with the world." Gaster whispered to the anomaly walls. On his screen he saw the kid was walking up in front of Asgore.

Gaster placed his hands against the anomaly wall and closed his eyes he took deep breaths and allowed himself to slip away, give up on his senses as he sunk, deep and deeper, yet deeper.

He was standing on the white grass. His black coat that wrapped his skeletal self feeling comforting. Chara eyed him with eyes that were the most determined he ever saw them be.

"Are you sure you plan will work, because if this fails, you will die." The kid told the skeleton.

"You starting to sound like Asgore." Gaster informed the kid who blushed happily, before giving an angry pout at being distracted so easily.

"I made my peace Chara. I made my testament to give all my things to Jeremy. The house I recently brought from Dave, will be again inherited by him. I do have to wonder if he will see it as some weird joke..."Gaster chuckled.

" All the video material will be given to my foster parents and Maria. I left instructions for Maria how to spin the discovery of souls and magic to the world. I promised her a story that changes the world. And I will deliver on my promises,regardless of the results of this final experiment... If I die or not, well if I die the next run will be what erase them all..."He took a deep breath. He felt peace, it was strange. It was a strange mix of resignation and hope, determination to let go of the life he had up till now. Embracing the upcoming change. Inviting the unknown."Whatever happens now, it will end with me being with my sons and friends finally together..."

The rush of magic washed over them as the barrier was broken. Gaster was taking it all in. He saw the kid holding onto the soul more strongly. The soul pulsed with hope brightly white.

"Not yet. We have to wait for Frisk to go to the void for the reset." Gaster instructed, his hope was pulsing just as strongly as the determination that was holding him. No do over.


	9. Chapter 9

There. The grass under their feet was gone and the darkness was the only thing around them. It was not for long like that. Gaster moved forward ahead of his Chara allowing the void to swallow him. The darkness clinging to him like a blanket.

"That was fun." Frisk's Chara hummed. "Stay determined."

"Stay determined." Said a voice from behind making one Chara turn around to see another Chara. Frisk was not moving, frozen in a moment. Something was coming closer and not letting go of them. But the Chara by Frisk side didnt notice it, her eyes were on the doppleganger.

"Who are you?"

"Howdy! I am Chara." Said the Chara holding a broken soul. The Chara holding the knife stared at it, as if it was the first time they saw a soul. The knife was raised. It tip pointed towards the white heart shape.

"That... that is a monster soul."

"Duh, yeah."

"I searched all of void for it... Whoever you are give it to me! " And the Knife Chara shot towards the soul Chara. Slashing at them, but the soul Chara simply avoided the first attack. They both will know exactly how the other moves and thinks. For a stranger it would nearly appear as if they danced the dance of life and death for years.

Gaster form slowly grow out from the darkness wrapping his long bony hands around Frisk from behind. Resting his skull on top of the soft hair. He started softly talking. Working the magic of words and intent. Explaining and saying the right things,informing the kid about the time on the surface they had missed out on. Gaster knew behind him Knife Chara was attacking while the chara holding his soul was avoiding the hits.

"You cannot douge for ever, ask Sans he knows!"

The soul Chara jumped away not responding to the jab, leading the knife Chara further away from where Gaster was talking with Frisk. Both Charas were determined.

But luck does run out. It run out quicker. The Knife Chara slashed aiming for the soul Chara leg. The cut causing the soul chara to lose balance and fall over. In the void there was no up,no down,no ceiling or floor. But in this fight there was a floor that they both imagined. Soul Chara was on this floor looking up at the knife raised above their head.

Soul Chara was ready to throw herself to the side the moment the knife starts to go down.

It didnt.

"...No...You are a distraction." Said the Knife Chara and panic flooded her face, as realization settled in. "No! Frisk!" The knife Chara turned around and sure enough Around Frisk was a monster wrapped. Frisk was crying and shaking.

"Frisk!" Knife Chara was throwing herself towards the monster. "What are you doing to Frisk!" The soul Chara could feel from the soul in their hand that Gaster needed more time. It was a instinct that she slashed with the soul just like the other Chara would with her knife.

"Stay away from them!"

"Stay away from them!"

Both Chara screamed in unison, and the knife hit a wall of bones that sprung out the darkness to protect them, instead the black back of the monster wrapped around Frisk. "What?!... Bones..." The knife Chara turned around to see the soul holding Chara blink in surprise at the soul in their hand. There was a big grin growing on soul Chara face. One that told that now they had a weapon and their opponents should better start running. BUt the grin failed to hit the mark for knife Chara as her focus was placed on something else.

"...That isnt his soul..."

"No." Another flurry of bones was sent towards knife Chara, forcing them to jump away. "Lets see you dance for me!"

Knife and bone was colliding again and again. Neither Chara stopping their assault, their attacks. Both starting to fall in a routine, neither able to hit the other, yet determined to not stop trying. Soul Chara felt the soul in their hand straining under her intent. The magic used in the void was easier to use, but the reserve were still fastly depleting.

"How long will you keep this up. You are weak." Taunted the knife Chara. "You arent determined enough." Another knife slash, another jump to the side.

"I am. The problem is in your determination!" That hit a cord as the glares were nearly electric between them. Their intents colliding like two waves. Anywhere but the void that would have destroyed everything between them. The soul pulsed, so close it whispered to the soul Chara. Just a bit longer.

It was time to end it.

Both Chara were thinking the same as they throw them self at each other. Neither planning to avoid the other attack.

"I am determined to not give up!"  
The knife holding Chara screamed just as the Soul holding Chara screamed back.  
"I am determined to move on!"

The knife and bone never colliding, never ending their fated clash. The collision of determination that would have destroyed both of them, as a third voice cut through the darkness. "I BELIEVE IN YOU."

The darkness exploded as Frisk made their own decision. The decision to quit. To leave it be.

* * *

Outside Frisk has suddenly stepped away from everyone. Both hands gripping on their head as the waves of determinations were colliding inside them. A echoing whisper talking to them. The kid didnt respond to the voices of the worried monsters. Papyrus was staring at them as Tori was softly shaking them.

He was realizing something was changing. The unshaken hope he was holding in the human to do the right thing was now even stronger. Kneeing in front of the human he gently wrapped his bone arms around the shaking frame and pulled them up in his arms, against his battle body. Frisk body was shaking, tears falling from their eyes.

"I BELIEVE IN YOU!" The skeleton yelled from the top of his lungs, which Sans would have made a pun out. If he could read minds that is.

Something broke. It felt like a balloon exploded all around them as a strong wind blowed over them. Papyrus was shielding the little body in his arms as the violent winds were going over them. When all calmed down the monsters noticed it was dark outside. In front of them down the path was a lot of knocked over cameras and other instruments.

Sans poped beside his brother."paps you okay?! what happened?"

The skeleton in question looked up to his shorter brother and grinned wide and bright. "I do not know!" He was beaming with happiness and joy. " But I the great Papyrus have protected the little human. See they are napping now."

And indeed Frisk was out cold in Papyrus arms. Sans was shaking staring at the human and then at his brother. "you are the coolest,bro."

"I w-w-wonder who put those cameras t-there. I-I didnt see them a minute ago." The scientist in the group couldnt help but poke the short circulated instruments, concluding the ...whatever it was, was the reason the equipment was burn out.

"Its dark we should try to walk to the town. Frisk needs to sleep in a proper bed." Tori declared and started to lead them. Papyrus jumping to be a step behind the queen. Well she didnt made more than two steps when two dogs jumped out the bushes and barked pointedly showcasing for the monsters were not allowed to go any further.

They clasp their teeth loudly going for bites on the skeleton legs, causing both brothers to jump away from the aggressive dogs.

"No worries! I have a plan!" Papyrus summoned a bone attack waved it in front for the barking dogs and throw it. The dogs gave the flying bone a brief glance before they both ignored it.

"Thats it I am beating those mutts up!" The royal guard announced. A spear in hand but it never got to be cast as a voice came from the bushes.

"WingDings! Behave!" Both dogs instantaneously sat down on the ground and yawned boredly, like they were not trying to rip limbs away from the monsters in front of them. Gaster was aware that his voice echoed just a bit and that he didnt look all that well. Blood was going down his arm and his clothes looked like they were ripped and half burned. As he was moving closer. All the monster eyes on him, the slight limp he had completely ignored as he was grinning like an idiot.

They were looking at him. Seeing him.

The first one to snap from staring at the strange man in front of them was Asgore. "You are hurt. Can we offer assistance?" The king softly asked. Gaster felt himself shaking. The pain from being thrown half across the place catching up with him.

Undyne readying to protect the king from any outlash the human may do. "Yes. ." the doctor managed to answer, Tori sprung into action.

Gaster was barely holding himself to not become emotional. There it was. They were seeing him. Hearing him. Sans was staring at him with a calculating gaze, the type he would have when he was ready to fight and protect. Papyrus was having a tint of seriousness in his joy filled eyes.

The relief of magic flooding his body, wiped Gaster mind clean. He leaned into the furry hands, knowing the magic oh so well. The familiarity joyful to a point he felt like the happiness would break out of him in a fit of giggles... Maybe not all happiness was his own. He enjoyed the healing touch to his soul. The determination gently poking him to show it still was there.

"I am sorry. Your soul still feels hurt..." His queen started to apologize. Gaster knew why. She healed so many shards he could feel the number dropped to an one digit. She couldnt heal the rest. That didnt matter. His own magic now would take care of it over time.

"Oh please, no need to apologize. Tibia honest I goat to admit that I never felt healthier in my life. " Which was completely true if he counted only the human life, and Tori chuckled while Payouts loudly groaned. Sans suppressed an amused chuckle. So worth it.

"OH NO! THE HUMANS ARE LIKE THAT TOO!"

He could have just sat there for a long time. Maybe he could nap? Yes a long nap with them making it a challenge to stay asleep sounded like heaven. His job finally done. Everyone was on the surface. His mind nearly slipped away into a dose, but Sans didnt let him.

"so, who are you buddy? i am sans the skeleton." Sans was offering him his hand for a handshake. Gaster knew the whoopee cushion was in it. He was still grinning like a maniac from happiness. His grin may actually matching up to Papyrus happy grin right about now.

He was about to shake the skeleton hand but his mind pulled a brief blank. What would he say was his name? He could exactly say: 'Hey friends I am Gaster, the first royal scientist, I grow up as Asgores best friend, and build the core and then fall apart in my creation and got erased from time to have my existence rewritten like a human. Oh and did I mention that I am only alive because your long believed dead child determination, which I extracted without your knowing and injected into me, refused to let me die?' Yeah... that would go over super. He spend way too much time on working on freeing them that he forgot to think what he wanted to say when he face them.

So he improvised.

"... I am your friend. A skeleton with a muscle and skin condition." The sound from the hand shake a welcome distraction for him to laugh instead to give a name.

"SANS!" Papyrus complained and criticized how they couldnt be giving the human such a poor impression of all monsters. Gaster felt the tingle of determination. Yeah, he had to get a move on. He had to inform Maria and Elliot before anyone could come to them and ruin his years long hard work.

"Please feel free to stay at my home. There are some humans you have to meet before you do anything. And I really mean anything at all." Gaster stood up, fishing his phone out. Pleased he thougth to put a anti magic casing on it to protect it from damage. He typed the texts as he found would be rude to call in front of the monsters. Sans was walking by his side keeping an eye socket on him. The white light ever so often eyeing the casing the phone was in. Gaster could hear the cogs turning in the shorter skeleton skull. Mistrust and doubt coiling in his friendly smile. That was fine. Its hard to grasp its done.

Gaster knew he wouldnt be able to hide who he was from Sans for long. He didnt want to... Once his magic started to more normal flow in his bones the small skeleton will know... Then... Gaster wasnt sure if he should tell them, wouldnt it put their lives on the head? Then the last twenty years they lived in a loop.

They didnt made it far when Gaster stopped to see his balsters falling back. "Ah, I am sorry... my bla- dogs are old and tired..."

"No problem my friend." Asgore spoke and with an elegant easy picking both dogs in his arms. "I will carry your WingDings."

Hold it together Gaster, the doctor berated himself. Telling himself how Asgore wasnt aware that he did it a bunch of times to the skeleton in the past. Neither is aware how warm this just made the human with two scars on his face feel. And how utterly embraced he felt.

"T-thank you." He spoke, to his surprise Papyrus spoke to him with a question. "So which one is Ding and which one is Wing?"

"Huh? Thats separate names. Thougth that was one like or something." Undyne commented.

"Of course they are separated!"

"The left one is Wing he is a lazy bone and Ding is the other he is the coolest guard dog there is. I love them both dearly." Sans who was on his left side as they walked the trail under the moonlight looked up at him. Gaster smiled back softly at him, and the skeleton swiftly turned his head away. Joining the conversation the other monster had. Mentioning how great the moon looked and how many stars there were.

Gaster was thankful of the night darkness hiding the monsters as he walked the street to the house that was waiting for them. As Gaster walked in he briefly imagined the old man, smiling at the monsters. A new era. New hope. The dogs happily took their spot in the corner.

"There are quite a few spare rooms for you all to use at your leisure. The kitchen is fully stocked, if you wish to cook." Gaster reminded himself of the way some of the monsters cooked and added hastily before the kitchen got in danger of burning. "But it has a limited passion rule. So sadly beating food into submission isnt allowed."

The loud disappointed sigh from Undyne made him chuckle. "There is a children bed just down that hallway. Frisk can rest there." Gaster pointed out, watching as Tori and Papyrus went to the pointed direction to put the spent kid to sleep. He will had to take a lot of tests to make sure they are doing well... maybe find a therapist for the kid as well? A professional should be a good thing. Asgore interrupted his mussing.

"Ah, forgive me friend, but you said we have to meet someone?"

"Oh yes, my majesty. The reporter will most likely be here in the early hours to question you about monster kind. I will assist you so it goes over well. You can count on me, my king. And the president will probably come at one point too. From there we will see how things go. The first few days are the most important for establishing a good base for the peace between humans and monsters. " Gaster way too easily fall into the role where he declared what was on their agenda and reported to his king. It was a such a easy thing to do as his hands were moving assisting with his words.

"Hmm, thank you friend for all the help. But you dont have to feel obligated to call me king. Asgore is just fine."

That felt like a ice cold bucket was dumped over his head. In much less enthusiasm he replied. "Of course... "He was human looking... it was the first time he felt the weight of the skin and muscles. It didnt matter. Everything will work out. There was a lot of explanation to be done. He distracted his mind from it. Jeremy, he needed to call him for the army of lawyers as well. Just in case someone gets any bad ideas.

"Do you wish any tea? Its not homemade but there are several flower mixes."

The king nodded in thanks sitting down on the couch, as the doctor left the room. Alyphs was shifting in place as Undyne was diving down for the remote to turn on the TV. He wondered as he pulled out the cups how long will it take to find the anime or wrestling channels. It was quite late into the night.

He watched as the water was heated. Taking his time, giving the time to monsters. It was silly to think he would fit like a missing cog... And thinking such doubts was just as silly. He felt tired. The water was boiling when someone touched his shoulder.

"You look like you were falling asleep."

"Tori..."

"Yes?"

And the doctor wasnt speaking, his hands twitching about things he simply didnt think before. Or more correctly avoiding to think about by focusing on a single goal. A science problem could be so easily solved, social was much more complicated.

"There is a lot that needs to be explained to you all."

"Now can it not wait. You have been hurt and you look like you had a rough day." Gaster nodded obediently. Watching as the goat monster was pouring the tea preparing to carry it.

"There are snails in the fridge if you want to make a special pie. "The cheer up expression Tori had at the idea of making snail pie was worth the taste the after mention pie will have. He allowed the monster to push him back with the others, Papyrus was there loudly talking with the guard friend of his. Sans was sitting on the other sofa, and Gaster dropped beside him.

Sans looked like he would fall asleep any moment now. The shorter skeleton had the right idea. Taking a few sips of tea, Gaster surrender. It truly was several long days for him. Just the strain from today was draining enough.

Gaster was sleeping his head turned to rest on Sans shoulder who was napping himself as well. Papyrus complained about laziness as he tucked them both in with a blanket so they do not get cold. It was Alyphs that insisted to point something out.

"I-is it a good i-idea to stay here?"

"Why wouldnt it? The human was nothing but friendly and welcoming." Asgore answered in a silent voice to not wake up the sleeping.

"Wasnt he a um... bit, how to say it...um too welcoming?"

"What do you mean?" Toriel matched the soft silent tone.

"Well. Think about it. Beside Sans no one introduced themself. He knew who was the king from the start I-I think. He didnt said his name, and yet he knew all of ours. T-then there is the instruments he walked by without batting a eyelid. The cameras. And well the way he got hurt. The barrier shouldnt have done it. So...I have to wonder if his intention are maybe bad because..."

"So can I beat him up to get those answers out?" Undyne grinned her toothy grin a fist punching into her palm in preparation.

"No." Papyrus said in a oddly strict tone arms crossed over his chest, but matching the whispers.

"What do you mean no? " The guard protested.

"Well. No. We arent gonna beat the first human who we meet after Frisk. It would be really rude." The tall skeleton finished looking over at the sleeping pair. His eyes filled with a far away look before he beamed happy at the kings next words.

"Indeed, I agree with Papyrus on this. We will ask the human to explain himself in the morning."

"He did say before to me in the kitchen that there was lot of explaning to be done." Toriel hummed thinking as she was drinking her tea.

"See. No need to worry." The boss monster and king pointed happily out. The tea was drunk out and more silent whispers were exchanged. Time fly by the monsters who were too exited from being on the surface to actually take the logical route like Sans and the human and sleep.

* * *

So when the knock came just before sunrise it was Undyne who jumped to open the front door. Toriel was watching over Frisk, while the king and Alyphs were using the phone to inform the other monsters to stay put for just a bit longer. The door swung wide open. She didnt await a pair of elderly humans to happily jump at seeing her.

"See I was right. He finally did it!" The older human woman said hitting her husband, the monster assumed, arm who grinned and reached to shake the guards hand in a firm handshake. "You young lady are amazing. I cannot express how happy I am to finally meet you. You can count me as your fan."

"Huh?" The fish monster blinked, not awaiting such a reaction from humans at seeing her. The pair didnt give her time to regain her footing as the shorter woman pushed past her inside the dim light house and spotting Papyrus. Attacked him.

"Pap!"

A spear was already in the guard hands but then she heard overjoyed sound from the human who was hugging the skeleton. Which left the guard with even more confusion. Apparently Frisk wasnt the only human who would go and randomly hug monsters. The spear gone.

"Papyrus, you look even taller in person. Let me see you. Where is your brother?"

"He is sleeping see..." Papyrus whispered pointing to the sofa where Gaster and Sans were still out cold. At this point Sans had cuddled up to the warm human body. While the man in question was bend in a uncomfortable position so his head was resting on top of the skull of the monster. "They are so cute." The woman hummed and indicated for the man to come in. Which he did taking off his backpack and pulling out things with red bows put on them.

"Here the ketchup bottle is for your bro and the pasta cooking book is your gift. " The man explained and pap was jumping in joy at receiving presents. Commenting how humans were really nice. But Undyne had to put a stop before it got any further out of hand.

"Now, stop right there. Why are you giving paps gifts? You saw him for like two seconds and how did you even come up to gift that? You dont have the right to. I am forbidding it..." The fish monster never got to finish as the human female huffed with hands on her hip.

"Excuse me, captain of the royal guards." Undyne frowned trying to remember if she said that she was that, she wasnt even in her armor so the monster was confused about how the human had guessed her rank. " But I have all right to spoil my grandchildren how ever I like. And there are years worth of spoiling to catch up."

"You should have said, spoiling to ketchup, darling."

"Yes, indeed. I never was good at puns."

There was a silence in the room as everyone was blinking. At the husband remark, the woman started to grin and Pap was stuck between groaning and grinning. Undyne was the first to snap out of it. Now she was properly angry.

"You cannot be related! He is a monster and you are a human?!" It was the older male that put a hand on her shoulder.

"Gaster didnt explain it did he?"

"Gaster? Is that his name?"

The guard monster commented, and noticed how her words triggered some kind of fury in the woman. "He did not even tell you his name?" The woman said and suddenly Undyne felt like she was standing in front of a very angry mother. One that was fuming at her kid that got in trouble. And the guards captain knew how that looked because it was usually her who saved the kids and took them to their parents. "Dont be angry sweetheart. It must be hard to tell his two sons about his predicament."

The tall skeleton walked up to the sleeping pair and started to pinch the human cheeks. Rubbing them and soon enough Gaster was shifting in place. "5 more min pap..." The human grumbled, pulling the Sans lump even closer.

"NYE HEHEHE. WAKE UP DAD. STOP BEING LAZY."

That did it.

Gaster was fully awake and jolted the short skeleton into waking up as well. "What did you just said?"

"Told you to wake up."

"No.. how did you referred to me?" Gaster questioned as Sans was rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Dad." Papyrus simply stated it as a fact. The determination gave him a push to stop staring at the tall skeleton, Sans was still staring, a small bro slipping from his teeth. Gaster wrapped his arms around taller brother.

"Son... I... missed you both so much."

Papyrus happily returned the hug never being one to not return such a gesture, it was a touching moment but the were more people in the room. People who ahemed.

"Gaster." The older woman spoke, causing the man to slowly turn around and face his foster mother.

"Ugh...Hi." Gaster spoke starting to sink where he sat.

"Dont you hi me." The mother shot a glare that made the grown man flinch still clinging to the skeleton.

"How did you come here? I didnt tell you?..." Gaster started unwillingly un wrapping his arms from Papyrus so he could fully turn to his glaring mother and amused father. He was in so much trouble. Sans was still trying to process the fact that his brother called him dad.

"We had a dinner with Maria and her parents, when she received a text. " the grandpa cleared his voice and recited it from memory. "As I promised, my life work has been completed and the story of your lifetime is waiting, come to Ebott, Dave old house."

"So of course we know what it meant. You freed your sons! I insisted Maria to take us with her and when I understood she had zero idea about monsters. I told her to wait in the car."

Gaster rubbed the bridge of his nose. That was actually good. He had to ease the curious reporter into the situation. "Thank you...but you didnt have to tell them I..." Gaster was interrupted by Papyrus loud voice, stating a fact.

"If they are my grandparents. And you are their son. Than that makes you are my dad." There were flaws with that logic.  
"Plus I always wanted to have grandparents!" Papyrus concluded and Gaster had trouble pinpointing if the tall skeleton knew who he was. If he remembered him, or if he simple fall in the role that was presented to him. Gaster stomach rumbled.

"Breakfast spaghetti?" The doctor questioned hopeful and Papyrus was overjoyed and run off to make them. It was the perfect time to try out the cooking book he just received. Sans mind had started to work when he jumped from the sofa and pointedly used his hand to say that the human should follow him.

Gaster did, leaving a still confused royal guard with his foster parents. He felt that maybe that was a horrible idea to do. But Sans took priority.

Sans lead them into a empty room. Gaster walked in without a hitch looking out the window as the sun was bathing the back yard garden. Asgore was in it and watering the plants. Gaster smiled at his king, a click told him the door was looked. Gaster poked at his soul feeling the bubble of his magic just under the surface. Little bit more rest he needed, but he could short cut if he wanted to annoy his son.

"i dont know what game you are playing, buddy. but stop it now."

"Ouch." Gaster winced as if he was physically hit. He didnt turn around opting to watch the king tending plants.

"nothing to say? well i guess you will not mind to have a bad time, buddy."

Behind his back Gaster could hear the telltale whine of a loading blaster. He slowly turned and faced the angry hoovering skull. He smiled. Sans was caught in a mixture of disbelief and hope. Using anger as a fixing point. The paranoia and fear making the skeletal fingers twitch. One wrong motion and the Gaster blaster would be released in Gasters face.

The doctor raised his hand and sans hand swept down in panic... only the skull didnt blast the human to pieces. Instead it was floating closer until it was rubbing against the man hand. Nearly like a obeying pet would. The deadly attack purring as the human was petting it with a wide smile.

"There is a reason they are called Gaster blasters. "Gaster idly said looking at Sans, who still had trouble believing it. Taking the mere possibility of it was hard on his mind, believing it true... presented as real fact even harder. "You are a good boy. You protected my sons well. You did so well." Gaster hands twitched moving against the skull, who purred and fall apart.

"Sans... can you not tell?... Can you not yet sense my magic?"

"... so i am not suffering hallucinations?" Sans spoke finally shifting on his feet.

"There will not be any resets anymore. I made sure of it."

The reaction was astonishing, Sans nearly thow himself at the doctor and yet stopped directly in front of him. Hope and fear of being lied to. "how would you know they will not do it again?"

"Because they lost the power, they given up on it... And I know what you think. What if they change their mind? Find a way to get it back? Even if they do it will take them years. " His fingers touched his chest, sensing the determination giving him a firm nod. Even if the back door was gone they will still sense it if Frisk or their Chara get powerful enough to be a danger. They could interfere with it now. "And the years that we have we will have to help them. Because I only gave them hope, but that was only the start. "

Sans softly nodded, he deeply breathed in and with his own determination asked for a final proof.  
"let me see it."

Gaster didnt need to have it specified. He kneed down and allowed the soul to float in front of Sans inspecting eyes. The skeleton eyes were glued to the unusual monster soul embedded in the determination that imitated a human soul. Gaster hummed happily at seeing the state.

"Only 7 pieces! The queens healing magic is really something."

Sans eyes sockets were blank and it took the doctor only half a moment to realize what was going on. To grab Sans hand before he started forming his magic in a more deadly attacks. He should have thougth about it before he showed him his soul. Of course Sans would recognize Chara determination, he fought it for mounts in the same battle over and over. Of course he would have an instinctual reaction at seeing the red determination of his nightmares in front of him.

"Papy is alive. Everyone is alive. You are not in the golden hall, you are on the surface. Check the lv of what you see. Check it." He spoke fast and authoritatively.

 **Lv 1.**

The check was rough but after seeing that Gaster had no exp, Sans vision returned. His eyes demanding explanation. So thats what Gaster did, he explained how the experiment started how it went, how it failed and yet succeeded. How the DT refusing his death is coming from the same source as the one protecting Frisk.

"its... its really you g? Heh didnt recognize you. You are only skin and bones."  
Gaster chuckled briefly but he felt he had to say one more thing to his son. Something that he will need be drilling into the thick skull of him.

"I watched over all of you. I saw everything. And Sans remember what I am saying now. I. Do. NOT. Hate. You. Neither will your brother." Sans eyes shifted away, hands going into his pockets.

"he doesnt know."

"Dont underestimate him Sans. He is as intelligent as you. I just have to figure out how much he does know."

"he is so cool."

"The coolest there is."

"no one is cooler than him."

"Thats why we are his greatest fans."

And the short skeleton gave up. He throw his arms around the human and hugged him tightly. Words about the machine he tried to fix to get home, words about how much he forgotten, words on how he missed him and yet couldnt piece more of the past, came all but flowing out Sans like a dam was finally broken. And the human was simple holding the skeleton inside the locked room, petting the top of his head. Knowing he wasnt the best person himself. He relayed on them as a second nature yet he would so often take projects well being over theirs.

"It doesnt matter what was forgotten, Sans we will fill the darkness with new memories. Better ones. I am determined to uphold this promise."

"sure g. if you say so." The skeleton grinned, and Gaster stood up dusting his black pants off.

" I do. Can we now have breakfast spaghetti? People will confuse me with a skeleton. " Sans laughed and the two left the room and walked towards where the most sound was coming from. The kitchen. As the two stepped in Gaster was only held by pure determination in place, otherwise he would have short cutted far far away.

All the monsters were sitting around the table, Frisk was drinking a cup of tea


	10. Chapter 10

All the monsters were sitting around the table, Frisk was drinking a cup of tea, while his foster parents were helping Papyrus with serving the spaghetti. The worst though was that Maria was seated on the table. With an intent to uncover the truth that all but vibrated in the room. Poor Asgore was on the receiving end as the woman was all but shooting question after question. The king was looking ready to plead to be rescued.

Maria spotted him.

"Gaster! When you told me you were a monster, I didnt get you meant it literally! This is amazing!"

All the monsters and Frisk looked at Gaster who was silently kicking Maria out the friend zone while trying to hide behind Sans. Which was a feat on its own as he was a lot taller than the monster in blue.

"do all humans know you are a monster, g?"

"No. Maria found out by accident."

"I kissed it out of him." Maria smugly replied, and Gaster groaned as he let his head drop on Sans skull in a way to hide the blush. She must been angry about being left in the car.

"Dear Friend, would you mind explaning what miss Maria meant?" Asgore spoke, more than happy not to be any longer the point of the woman's attention. This was not how Gaster planned to tell them all. Sans placed a hand on his arm and petted him. "mustard some courage."

"SANS!" Papyrus groaned, and Gaster took a deep breath. The determination pulsed briefly and he moved from behind the short skeleton to sit down to the empty chair beside Maria.

"First off... Maria leave for this part please? This things I would like to say to monsters first."

The reporter gave him a long look over and turned off her recording. Instead of watching her leave Gaster looked at his foster parents. They knew most of it, but not all. They nodded understanding, following Maria out. And then at the monsters... well Asgore was patiently smiling at him giving all the time in the world for him to start. Alphys was fidgeting giving mistrusting eyes, her eyes ever so often looking at something behind him. Sans. Cleaver to try see if he was dangerous by watching Sans reaction to him. Undyne was frowning at every human beside Frisk. And Frisk started to stand up but Gaster moved his hand to indicate for them to stay. They were living among monster longer than among humans by this point.

A plate of warm spaghetti was placed in front of him. Papyrus was grinning and Gaster took a quick bite of the food. "Perfection." Gaster hummed in delight. The taste would be described as not great by anyone else, but to the doctor it was exactly what he was trying to find for decades. " You are so cool." The kitchen was filled with Nyeh's.

"I must admit, I dont really have an idea how to start this. From the beginning, from the last memory..." It was surprisingly the other royal scientist that decided to help him out.

"M-maybe you can... answer our questions. If that is fine, I mean." Alyphs started and Gaster nodded, glad to have a waypoint in the conversation.

"Yes, that would be adequate starting point."

"Do you know what the strong wind was?"

"Yes. "

"What was it?"

Gaster looked at Frisk who stopped playing with the spaghetti. The kid was really still.

"It was the barrier that held you back for too long finally breaking down."

The fork fall out of Frisk hand and the child eyes were big before they squirted at him. To help the kid Gaster let himself have the big grin which made the two scars on his face more noticeable.

"To answer Frisk staring question. Yes, I helped a bit with the breaking. Yes that was me there, but my contributions compares to nothing to yours Frisk."

"So those cameras were y-yours?" Alyphs asked pushing her glasses up.

Gaster nodded.

"Yes, I watched...and thank you Alyphs you were a great help to me."

The dino monster yelped confused and the doctor grinned. "The network you put up. I tappeded in and recorded everything that ever happened." His voice had unintentionally dropped in a warning echo as the last few words pended towards the human kid. At lest Frisk had enough sense to look away from him. Feeling a bit of guilt at his tone he reached out and pet the kids shoulder. Conveying with his hands and smile that if he didnt believe in them they wouldnt be here.

"Why? Why did you observe the underground?" The scientist asked using their glasses as a shield. Knowing there were cameras in true lab as well.

"To free monster kind was one of my royal duties. So I had to observe the underground to be able to..."

"Wa-wait. You said royal duty?" Gaster shifted under Alyphs gaze, undyne was looking ready to punch him. It was only thanks to the distracting happy yelp from Sans that he got a breather. The shorter skeleton has just discovered how much ketchup was in the ketchup cabinet. He took one bottle out and took a happy swing from it.

"royal, because he was the previous royal scientist. made the core and all that jazz." Sans stated winking at Gaster. Yes he knew knew he was dancing around the point here, but the doctor still let a annoyed groan and the short skeleton.

"Y-Y-You a-a-are W.D. Gaster?! O-oh my! But how?! That would explain why Sans suddenly is fine a-around you. Bu-but!? Your w-work is absolutely a-amazing! "Undyne and Tori bot tried to calm the stuttering and jumping in her seat lizard monster. It was the captain who pointed out the obvious. "Wasnt the previous guy a monster and he is clearly a human, or am I missing here something."

"Yes, that is indeed quite puzzling." His king spoke up after staying quiet and watching up till now.

"Yes..."Gaster took a breath. "Technically, I am still a monster, my soul is white and points up."

"yup. its UPsideDOWN." Sans interrupted him and received a scolding from Papyrus, for which the doctor thanked the taller skeleton. Once the pun break ended and situation calmed down, he went on.

"I was born a monster, grown up as a monster. And as the royal scientist at one point I did a little tiny experiment that had a interesting effect... "

"A shattered soul is an interesting effect?" Surprisingly enough it was Frisk who spoke up. A shadow of a red in the back of their eye. The determination in his own chest chuckled amused. He didnt get a word in as Asgore leaned in, having a thoughtful look on his face.

"And I approved of that experiment?" Gaster felt small again, he sunk a bit in his chair. There was that undertone in his friend voice the disapproving undertone that cut deep into him and make him reconsider what ever he was doing at the moment.

"no..." Gaster softly spoke, making the king reach out and place his fluffy hand on top of his head to keep him in the spot. The familiar gesture paired with the Asgores tone, made him want to spill the beans just to please his king again.

"And you still did it?"

"My sir, you would have forbidden it if I told you the risk. You always do! I thought I had only one shot for it. It would have been a surprise. That I was turned like this wasnt the problem, it did transported me outside the barrier. But the side effect was that I forgot everything and it took me years to start remembering. Once I tapped into Alyphs system I realized everyone forgot me as well. I am so sorry Asgore...I know I should take better care of myself back then, like you always insisted... but I thougth the risk was worth it for monster kind... "

The wild hand motion stilled as he was running out of the air. A small embarrassing blush creeping over his skin. His hair was ruffled by his king before the palm was removed and the boss monster smiled joyfully at him. That smile warmed his every last bone up with hope.

"Maybe we will remember you then as well with time. But I will have to insist you take better care of yourself from now on Gaster. No more doing things that could harm you, or blow up in your face or back, or poison you, or electrocute you..." Asgore concluded, and Gaster was reminded of his kings greatest power. Raising hope in their hearts. Hearing him say the wish with such a confidence as if it was a fact made the doctor dare hope it will be like that. Even if his mind told him it wouldnt happen. Asgore allowed the first royal scientist to answer more questions.

The doctor only explained the basics of who he once was and how he turned into a human. How with his memorie returning he tried as hard as possible to free them and help them in all ways there is. The royal scientist at the moment was stuttering praise about his work she found and how it is a honor to meet him. Yet another knock echoed on the door. Interrupting their talking.

The president came.

Elliot was speechless but his secret service was utterly baffled by the monsters. It took Gaster to stand in front of the pointed gun to stop any accidents from ruining the peace his king wanted. He sort of short cutted in range and stepped in front of it. The humans didnt even noticed him do it. He pushed his chest against the barrel, challenging the human to kill him. Elliot ordered them to lower their weapons and slowly they obeyed.

Papyrus walked wordlessly up to the doctor and slapped him over the head in a gesture that clearly said. Do not do that again. Gaster nodded as wordlessly and offered tea for everyone. Explaining the situation was much better than Gaster awaited. He knew what buttons to press with the president. Knew how to hit the softness the man had for doing that what no one else dared.

Introductions, debate, giving the rights, and only then allow the monsters to get their footing. It would take time to prepare everything, money was not a problem.

"Well it IS called A monster company. I find it only appropriate their earnings will assist to create a brighter future with monster kind living alongside humans. As well the company would be gladly one of the first to offer job opportunities for monsters." Well Jeremy would do this for him, right? If not Gaster was sure to let him be the first to sell magic and soul based things. On the other hand he was listed as the cofounder so he should have some executive power right?... He had zero idea how a company works.

"...You... you planned all of this? " Elliot said blinking at Gaster. "You made a kingdom for them. You even got a king. You choose me because I wouldnt say no to them. You even help me become president because I will help them."

"... It wasnt exactly like that... but it turned quite well out. Everyone gets what they want, isnt that the best type of deal? So I was just lucky to get what I want. Plus do you think they didnt earn to be free like any other living creature?"

"Of course, everyone is born as a free man."

The president rubbed his forehead ashe responded. Commenting how this may actually work, considering the company name was already associated with a lot of positive things. Giving a lot in donation and doing humanitarian work beside constantly pushing human progress ahead. It was a positive bred, and the power of the brand was something Elliot understood to never underestimate. It got him elected...

* * *

It was a good talk, the night came. The skeleton brothers and the dogs were following Gaster to his laboratory. Frisk staying behind with Toriel. The doctor managed to sneak in a talk with the queen, explaning that the child is probably riddled with trauma, regrets and grief. They have hope, but will need more. It was a good thing Tori understood what Frisk needed. Because Gaster still wasnt sure what more would be needed.

"sweet lab you got here."

"Yea... I took you both here because of several reasons." Gaster spoke, leading them down to the screen, it was turned off at the moment. "I have everything recorded. Since the moment I figured how to tap into the system. Every reset and load has been recorded and saved."

"Resets?" Papyrus tilted his head and Sans was on edge of forcefully stopping the man from spilling the beans.

"g." Sans tone was a warning but Gaster put his both hands on papyrus face stopping him from looking around.

"You can fool all of monster kind, you can even trick your own brother. But I am your father. I know you, Papyrus."

Papyrus nyehed loudly. "I am the great Papyrus. I do not fool anyone."

"The word sun was used before you asked Sans how to call the sun, my son." Gaster gave him a strain look and there was a twitch in the taller skeleton expression.

"Nye hehe, didnt think anyone caught on the mistake I made." Sans head snapped to his brother, blinking several times.

"paps, you... you remember the timelines?" Sans was looking at his brother, million of thoughts going through his mind. Gaster letting go of the taller son so he could scratch the back of his skull.

"I remember the first set better than the second set." Papyrus admitted in a guilty voice, leaving the other two souls in the room staring at him. gaster assumed there were two times the resets were happening, but now he had a confirmation from someone more reliable then flowly.

" First? Second set?"

"I mean the flowey resets are clearer in my mind. When Frisk started to do it, I didnt remember as many or as much. Just feelings and some scenes and such."

"i... i dont remember any resets before frisk" The two brothers turned to face each other, and Gaster could clearly see they are forgetting he was in the room as well.

"Because you didnt pay attention to it. You were busy with the machine in the basement."

"you know about the basement?"

"Of course I do, I tried to repair it too... but I couldnt get it to work so I just kept the place clean."

"you did? did you know what ..."

"I know something changed, Sans... something was missing. You didnt notice it at first!"

"i did... a bit later..."

"I know..."

"i am sorry. but why didnt you say anything to me?"

The two stayed silent, barely glancing back at each other. Paps was playing with his hands, while Sans wasnt moving a single inch as if afraid something would break if he does.

"Which part?" Paps voice was a lot lower than either of them were used to.

"about everything. about the resets or the machine..."

" Once I figured out the flower was doing it, I put all my effort to befriend them and not let him notice I remeber anything. It was hard at times because somehow I became his favorite. Seeing all of my reactions was amusing him. If Flowey knew that I could remember... that I know what he could do I think he would take a lot longer for him to get bored and stop. But me training to becoming a royal guard was amusing for him to watch. " He admitted to Sans who was drinking every word up. Just like Gaster did, and Gaster only resisted to hug his both sons because he could tell there were still things to be said.

"i could helped you."

"No, you couldnt." Sans words were cut down with a snap.

"i could have!"

Papyrus stomped on the ground, a wave of frustration and desperation coming from him. The next words he shouted explained why. "Flowey killed you in front of me." Tears welled up and Gaster throw his resisted through the window and wrapped his hands around the battle body. Still Papyrus continued. "He did it so he could see how much I will cry. Involving you with it... would have made you more of a target."

"i dont remember dying..." Sans was helplessly saying feeling lost. Wing and Dings were silently watching the group, neither reacting to the loud or distressed voices.

"You couldnt because you were sleeping like a rock. You worked yourself to the bone and flowey took advantage of it. You were completely helpless and vulnerable. They wrapped the vines around you and carefully dangled you in front of me... I was restained and gaged and couldnt do anything. Couldnt wake you even up...only watch... as he..."

"i..i am sorry paps." Sans nowjoined the hug and the tall skeleton pulled him even closer.

"Its fine, he did it only once... and loaded after a hour."

"paps is that why you are nagging about my naps."

The taller brother softly nodded, hugging them both with much more force than it was strictly needed. Neither cared.

"Well to be fair, it wasnt like Sans told you about what Frisk and Chara were doing. So you both kept secrets from each other." Gaster spoke trying to change the topic a bit.

"I assumed Sans was Frisk favorite and that he was doing the same thing I did. Trying to be friends and lead them down the good part. So I tried my best too, not to make it harder. I didnt say anything to not ruin his cover..."

The skelebros looked anywhere but each other and it was that moment Gaster removed himself from the hug and slapped them both over their skulls eliciting a double owie.  
"You numb skulls! Air heads! I taught you to always be honest with each other! To support each other! Rely on each other help regardless of the situation." Gaster received a double sorry dad, and he twitched at the words that slipped. It nearly felt like long before in the labs with the three of them.

"Now keep hugging it out." Gaster ordered and they didnt need encouragement when they wrapped their arms around and clung to each other for dear life. Somehow Gaster got trapped in the hug again as well.

"I didnt got you here just to make up and promise to never hide things from each other. We have to decide what we will do with the recordings. The decision will carry consequences for Frisk as well...but we can do that later."

Gaster started pushing the skelebros up the stairs all the way to the attic and then he unlocked the door. "Its a bit dusty but hope you like it." The attic boosted a small astronomy laboratory. Computer and big telescope filled the room, along the wall was one nice couch, sitting on it would give a perfect view of anyone working on the telescope.

Sans didnt need an invitation as he moved like a moth to the fire. It only took minutes for the short skeleton to lose himself and Gaster offered his brother to sit down. The following hours passed with Gaster leaning on the battle body yawning and fully enjoying the view of Sans pouring and testing and pouring over some other data and picture of a star.

"I am so cleaning this room tomorrow." Papyrus told no one in practically, as Gaster allowed himself to fall asleep. It felt right. The morning came and he was shacken up to wakefulness by Sans. His expression grim. "dad, i ... i think your dogs... they arent waking up."

That night his blasters died from old age. Gaster knew they moved on knowing his master was now protected by two other loyal beings. Their duty given to them by the old merciful dog finally over. It hurt having lost them. Hurt as much as having his sons die. He prepared wood for a big fire. He would be dead so many times over if it wasnt for their watchful eyes, and loud barks. His leg once long ago bitten itched, reminding him of how fearless they were in their actions to save him.

Gaster burned the dogs and placed their ashes on the head of his summoned Gaster blaster. It tired him out to maintain the floating skull, but it was the only way he would allow things to go. Thanking them for all the years they were looking out for him. Most of the day passed by and Gaster told his sons how he meet the dog who spared him after he failed to gain exp. The two listened careful and silent to his broken words and hand motion. Understanding everything he said.

"Come, you both should rest, and in the morning we shall return to our friends. Sans you didnt nap for a whole day I am proud of you."

"huh... look at that i didnt." Sans replied standing up, sipping on a ketchup bottle he fetched some time earlier. Gaster nodded allowing Papyrus to herd him to the sofa in the antic as it turned out Gaster forgot to have a normal bed in his lab.

Papyrus never needed a lot of sleep so when gaster woke up thirsty in the night and only spotted Sans spread over the other side of couch he assumed the skeleton was cleaning. The sound that he picked up when he entered the ground floor made his eyes grow big. He knew those clashes and huffs. The basement door was open.

Papyrus sneaked away to the recordings and was watching the fight in judgment hall.

"Paps..." Gaster stated as he walked silently in front of the screens. How many times did he watch the golden hall. How many times did he wish he was there. The sound of flesh being pierced by bone echoed. Red splattered the floor. Papyrus winced but didnt look away. He didnt even blink he calmly said. "Did Frisk ever..."

"Yes."It was clear to the Gaster what was Papyrus asking. "You dont have to see it. "

"I do. He saw my dust. "

Gaster nodded, and played the instance of when Frisk won against Sans.

He didnt hate Sans.

He didnt hate Frisk.

Gaster found him to be the coolest person in the universe.

* * *

Things soon started to go forward. Gaster didnt get as much sleep as he wanted but it was worth it. Humans were shocked with monsters, but the name monster carried enough positive meaning in it from the company that it wasnt an all bad reaction. Gaster had enough influence on the internet to move full groups to speak up pro monster. Influenced bloggers were fighting for the monster rights.

His foster mother became the head of the activist group that motto was 'every soul counts' or 'All souls, all free.' It was embarrassing but she did provided a lot of pun inspired T shirts as a apology.

And Jeremy.

Well Jeremy forgive Gaster forgetness to inform him about monsters. Or that he found from the TV that the co founder was suddenly making decision in his company. A monster company becoming the first one producing magic electricity. Plans for space colonisation followed quickly after the news about monsters allowing humans to get distracted from the new race walking their street. Gaster was more than thankful for the short attention span of the media social or traditional alike.

Frisk was the child ambassador, while Gaster and Papyrus were the people who spoke with the grown up when they wouldnt look at Frisk as anything but a child. Which was of course frustrating to the determined kid, who tried to be determined to grow up faster and taller asap.

There were still a lot of dangers. He received a warning from the general Christian about an attempt on his life. It was a thank you tip for saving his son. He avoided it thanks to his short cuts. Sadly his car that served him for over a decade didnt. The doctor only had a few bruises and cuts. Nothing broken. Asgore was angry.

It felt like they were back in time with Asgore fuming about his friends getting hurt.

"I am fine, sir. " Gaster insisted once more, As Tori was cleaning a deep gash on his forearm.

"And what if you werent?! How dare they target you!"

Asgore didnt got to fume on as the door to the house they still stayed opened and a human marched in. "GASTER!" Jeremy shouted before he spotted the doctor in question. Jeremy looked furious, and he wondered if he should risk short cutting away or not.

"I didnt keep you alive for you do get murdered!" Jeremy complained before he started to hover over Gaster unsure how to actually help. Before he settled on poking at Gaster chest. "You will rest or I am taping you to bed, just like your followers tended to do."

"A excellent idea." Asgore nodded, while Gaster found himself in need to complain. "But I am fine."

He received double glares and Gaster felt for his own health reason he should not say those words for a while. Jeremy took a breath. "I took matters in my own hand. Who ever tried this will be caught."

Asgore perked up at that. "How can you be sure?"

"Because A monster company is supplying a lot of things to the police, and if they do not solve it they arent going to get anything from us." Jeremy said with a smug smirk arms crossed over his chest. "Dont start me on Elliot, he was not pleased with this."

"You are a friend of dr. Gaster then?" Asgore hummed looking slightly more calm at seeing someone was actually doing something about this nearly horrible event.

"Yes. I am Jeremy, the director and founder of A monster company. Also known as the king of monster imperium."

"Oooh. So we are collages? King Asgore of the monster kingdom. I dont think we got to meet each other up till now."

The two shock their hands, and Gaster could see there beginning a new friendship. "A tip on his caretaking. Make sure he always has two loyal guard dogs at his sides or he will forget to eat and sleep. There was this one time he fall in a near coma... " And indeed the two became a friends and Gaster was not surprised to find himself bond to the bed with Sans watching him like a patient hawk. The skeleton in human skin simply laughed, it felt nostalgic.

* * *

Even with balancing the diplomacy of other countries, court case and normal inventing time, Gaster felt it was time he finally face something he postponed for too long, so Frisk could regain some footing.

It was evening with Tori and Asgore sitting on the couch and Frisk reading another law book by Sans side. Schooling Frisk was complicated. Technically the kid was over 30, but their education boiled down to reading every book in underground. And lots of those were text books. Home schooling was the only option. Surprisingly enough Frisk was determined once more, but this time the determination was pointed to become a real ambassador and for it understanding of international and local law was a must. The kid view of it was amusing as well. Saying things how befriending countries would be easy like befriending some monsters. You just have to know how to hug them right.

Papyrus came from the backyard giving a small thumb up as he sat beside Gaster just in case fireballs or petals start flying his way. Paps biggest part in the plan completed. He had to lure a flower into eavesdropping the conversation Gaster was about to start.

"My king, there is something I have to admit." Gaster tugged on the determination.

"sorry kiddo." Sans said as he turned Frisk blue and hold them in place. Couldnt have the kid lash out or run away. Toriel was about to jump at Sans for attacking her child like that. To save his own son from a mother's wrath Gaster spoke fast. Like one would pull the baind aid off.

"Asriel and Chara arent completely dead. They didnt fully move on." Everyone froze. Tori slowly turned towards the human, eyes hard warning that this topic better not be a joke. Gaster gulped. Yet, it was Asgore who spoke on.

"What do you mean with completely?" Asgore voice full of authority and order that Gaster simple couldnt deny to obey.

"It all starts with Chara, my sir. She befriended every monster in the underground... including me. I have already told you about the times I babysit Asriel and his siblings a few times. The goal was to make everyone happy."

Frisk was now fighting against the blue magic, but Sans pressed down harder.

"Chara came to me, and I slipped a bit. It gave the child the idea that if they helped my research we could break the barrier by making seven copies of Chara soul. To do that I had to extract determination out their soul. If you ever wondered how we figured to make syntactic DT or why we even had samples on it before... It was because Chara provided them."

"I cannot imagine that I would ever allow for such a procedure to be used on my child." Tori harshly said and the determination in his soul held him in place. Urged him to continue.

"You didnt." Asgore looked briefly horrified thinking he maybe allowed it. "Neither of you did. Because I didnt... tell you what I was doing. It was mine and Chara secret. I always was bad at saying no to what Chara wanted..."

If he didnt get a fireball in the face then from both boss monsters Gaster was sure he will never get them. The identical glares he was receiving was punishment enough on his poor soul.

"The procedures left Chara soul leaking determination, it made the eyes red for example. Something Chara liked..."

"There were more than one extraction." Asgore caught so easily on the wording. Papyrus shifted in place staying highly alerted.

"I needed a lot of samples... and the child not even once informed me that it was painful to them. I didnt know..."

Tori looked ready to kill him, but it was Asgore who ordered for him to say everything he had.

"Well, leaking determination meant as well that a lot of it collected on a place where Chara spend a lot of time. The place where Frisk fall down for example or the throne room. The determination was absorbed by Frisk red soul when they traversed all of underground, causing an echo of Chara to awaken, a echo that feels and behaves and is in a way Chara. As well any monster who received some of the original extracted determination, not the one we created in lab, carries an echo of Chara. Some of them would be weak or passive. Some would be more active and even chatty. This includes me who injected myself with a really big dose of determination in an attempt to create a powerful soul. "

Gaster was speaking fast hands moving to finish his sentences. "Both Frisk and me can hear Chara and speak to them, because of the high determination level..."

Frisk looked horrified as Tori slowly turned to them. "I-i-is that true my child."

Frisk didnt move, yet Sans wasnt letting go of the blue. "Please tell me. " Tori whispered and Frisk nodded slowly. "I do hear Chara..." Asgore took a deep breath. "You have yet to mention Asriel."

"Yes, you see. The prince dusted after he absorbed Chara leaking soul. I am positive that the fused soul was leaking as well. Therefore the dust was from both of them. And when a flower was injected the level... " Several petals were send in like bullets breaking the window. They hit a bone wall. Gaster kept on speaking as if nothing happened.

" ...of determination became high enough to awaken a echo of asriel. But as flowers do not have souls, neither did Asriel. Suffering without feeling anything. He changed his name to Flowey. I am positive if we expose Flowey to more of pure Chara determination he should reach a level where he could hear Chara as well. My research shows as well that there is a chance some light versions of emotion would be created as a feedback loop between two echoes sharing a vessels. Better having weak dulled emotion than nothing at all."

That made Frisk start fighting the blue magic, but this time with a hopeful was delivering on his promise. Showing that the passage of time was needed. Hoping they had no regret that they moved on.

"I checked the labs but there is nothing left from the samples originally taken from Chara. Which means the only untainted sample is holding my soul together. The absorbed determination in Frisk soul has been intermingled to a point where one couldnt extract just one of them. I would like to donate a bit of the DT from around my soul, and apply it on Flowey. Only if you allow me my king. I did enough damage on my own..."

There were indeed many things to be done still. Hope was only the beginning, the end of trouble and challenges were still far ahead. His naps stayed cut short, but he didnt mind it. The lack of naps only meant more memories would be created in times he spend awake.

He had his family and friends back, and whatever trouble came his way, be it terrorist using the stolen blueprints, foreign government going into espionage, the army and fbi breaking into his laboratory, Dave coming back to rekindle the friendship lost, assassination attempts all of it was worth it.

No more he was a observer. He was part of it. He was no longer being forgotten.

THE END.

* * *

 **Well thats all peps. Thanks for reading all the way here. You must have been determined. Hope you had fun. There may be a few epilog chapters, short scenes and moments. So who knows. Thank you once more.**


	11. Chapter epilog 11

EPILOG 1.1

 **AN and here is one of the first epilog chapters I said may come your way. Of course it doesnt answer all the question you guys had but its a start. Enjoy~**

* * *

"Frisk, wait. Do you want to buy flowers?" Gaster asked looking towards a flower shop in front of the gate. The kid froze in place and stared at the various flowers in return. Gaster watched the blank expression for a moment. He became familiar with that one over the last few knew that Frisk was debating with themself, and maybe Chara as well. Questioning and arguing.

He turned away from the kid and walked up to the florist. He could imagine what was troubling the kid. A hypothesis, so to say.

"Hello, I would like one bouquet."

"Of course, which kind?" The woman asked politely. Frisk looked up and approached Gaster silently. The man rubbed his chin in thougth and said.

"Which flowers have the meaning of thank you for failing at your child, because it made the kid change me and mine family lives for better?" Frisk head snapped up at him. There was a glint of something before it was drown out by guilt. The florist blinked for a moment, before she moved and made a bouquet without question. Gaster was impressed, the woman must have seen a lot of strange and irrational people in her life to not eve raise a eyebrow at that. He took the flowers, paid and looked at Frisk. She reached out to take them, but Gaster used his tall figure to full advantages and raised the flowers over his head and out any possible reach of Frisk.

"This are mine, I dont see a point for you to take them." And with that Gaster marched towards the gate entering the graveyard. It was a strange thing to see Frisk have so much doubt in their movement. How much questioning what is right and what is wrong to do was so clear in their posture. It was different now that they couldnt explore every option before settling for one choice. Only stepping after him, because they were determined enough to go through this. The last time he saw the kid like that was around the time they were getting ready to kill with a plan for the first time.

Saying it was an uphill battle was a heavy underestimation.

Gaster made a few turns and arrived to their destination, he placed the flowers on the two graves and sat down in front of them on the ground. Legs crossed he watched the two white grave stones. They were nothing special, but cheap were they not either. There was care put in maintaining this plot. The person he payed to do it, was doing a satisfying job.

Good.

Gaster could see Frisk in the corner of his eye. They were moving slower the closer they were getting to the gravestones. Only to finally stop in place 3 meters away from them. Just standing and waiting. Gaster wasnt planning on moving away until this was completed. He promised to himself and the determination curling around his soul that he would be there for Frisk in this place.

A week ago, Gaster was carrying a stack of papers about his research findings about adequate materials able to resist magical electricity, with a special set of testing phosphor nanotubes as a valid base. Alphs was already waiting for him, as they planned to take a day off administration and id issuing for monsters to not lose their minds.

Kings order.

To do what they loved for a bit. Sans and Papyrus went fishing to a nearby lake, for some brother bonding time. If he and Alphs get bored from inventing and sciening how Undyne puts it, which is hard to happen, but everything has a possibility...so if it does happen... Gaster prepared a camera drone with prerecorded puns to annoy/amuse the brothers.

Gaster in his head was already replaying all the possible conversation starters for that topic to Alphs, including a few puns he had test run on Papyrus. He was sure she would like that idea after a good pun. A hand on his black sweeter nearly made him lose balance. As it ripped him out his head to pay attention to the world he was marching in. Jumping in place to balance the load he was carrying he looked down and found the kid looking up at him.

"Oh Frisk, didnt see you there. How about a glass of milk..."

"Could you take me there?" Frisk blurted the sentences fast, looking away. Gaster felt the tug of determination in his chest.

"Where?"

"..." There was a grim expression, mixed with a puzzled and doubtful one. It spoke volumes. And he got a really good guess.

"...Oh... you want me to take you to see their..."

"Yes, my parents grave. I decided that I want to see them...it." Gaster nodded, he did offer it to show it to Frisk so she could finally put an end to a chapter in their life. One that was haunting them silently for quite some time. Especially now that the adoption papers would became official any day now. What Gaster didnt await was to have Frisk insist it to be just the two of them, no Toriel, or Sans and Papyrus or Undyne or anyone. Just Frisk and the human looking monster Gaster.

He arranged a day off a week later for them to go. And during the ride there was a no lack of silence coming from no conversation. He opted to fill it with an audiobook Frisk showed interest, Gaster had to wonder if Frisk wanted a stranger with them. Someone who they do not know perfectly done to the bone to predict most of their actions.

Gaster wasnt sure how long he sat unmoving but finally Frisk joined him sitting down beside him.

They sat beside each other in front of the grave stones, the flowers placed in front of them already attracting ants. The wind blowing over them.

"You are not a bad person, you know that Frisk?" Gaster spoke not looking away from the ant that was running up and down the flowers petals and then away from the flowers to tell her friends all about the sweet flower nectar she spotted.

"You have a full basement with recordings proving otherwise." Frisk stated.

"And yet they are in the locked basement, and not spreading on the internet or used in a courtroom." Gaster stated imitating the flat tone Frisk just used. The child still avoided to look anywhere at all. Eyes simply closed. That decision was a hard one, he wanted to destroy the proof of his son suffering, burn the videos of his sons dying. Yet... they were too precious to do exactly that. The amount of information and data about timelines behaviour and soul science was unbelievable...and... it was a leveraged in the slim chance Frisk and Chara ever change their mind about peace.

Pappy wanted to burn it all down, while Sans wanted to keep it even if his nightmares got worse. The middle ground was to lock it all away and only in the presence of all 3 of them open in case of research.

"... I dont feel anything. "

Gaster turned his head now towards the child. "I am positive that not true, you had laugh and been overjoyed two days ago when you were with Undyne. And you definitely feel regret when you look at Sans."

"That is not what I meant. " As Gaster moved his hands to indicate for the kid to expand what they meant. Frisk sighed and looked up to the blue sky. "I know I should be sad now, or angry or anything...but... I am simply... not being bothered by it." Frisk said finally turning the head to face Gaster. The eyes were worried and slightly red.

"You are thinking you are a bad person for not feeling sad over your parents dead, correct?" Frisk nodded, but before they could get a single word out Gaster raised his hand.

"I can understand. I didnt feel anything when I heard my biological human father passed away. He left me this scars." He tapped the two scars over and under his eyes. He reached out and placed his hand on Frisk shoulder.

"But... family should matter... regardless of..." Frisk trailed away, the red eyes from the determination all but shined. Chara must be quite upset. He reached out with a hug to the determination in him and felt the reluctant weight of a kid hugging him back around his soul. Accepting comfort.

"You are a great dad to Sans and Papyrus. I bet their mom would be proud how you are taking care of them." Frisk smiled and it took Gaster a long moment before things snapped in prospective. He blushed and started waving his hands. "No, no. No. They dont have a mother. I mean technically my mother would be theirs mother as well... but that was so long ago... She passed even before the war..."

Frisk tilted her head, trying to make sense out of the waving of Gasters hands around. "If you are brothers, why are they calling you dad?"

"We arent brothers."

"Half brothers?"

"No, Frisk... its they are special monsters. They are me." Gaster explained with a smile as if that cleared everything up. It didnt, Frisk stared at him as if he lost a few marbles. Or at least it looked like that to Gaster, he was partially used to getting that expression in his both life times.

"Funny, Asgore had the exact same expression when I introduced them to him the first time." He watched as a bit of a smile tugged on Frisk lips. Hints of pride surfing up before it disappeared and the child shock their head.

"Explain. How can they be you, when you are you? Are they clones or...?"

"No they arent clones, but me...Ah you see it all started..."

* * *

With the discovery of timelines...

It was a fascinating idea, and one he pursued because he wanted to nap. Yes, sometimes he was driven by simple goals in life. He was the great Gaster, but ever so often a less grandiose goal was acceptable. He was swamped with work and task after task. He wished to do them all, his assistance and followers were not skilled enough to take over the burden. They tried, and anything they could take over and do they already did...

He worked fast.

He worked with extra hands.

Even so his work pile was growing faster and faster. He wished there was a second him to help him handle it all. So in a true fashion of a scientist he made himself more work so he could fulfill a dream of working less. And it appears, he wasnt the only Gaster who was thinking like that. The idea was simple, if two universes were near identical, especially identical in the work that has to be completed, then the task completed in one would be from help to both. Meaning one Gaster could nap while the other works his bones off and vise versa.

He was positive he could work out a timetable with himself.

Time passed, and many more missed naps later...

A machine blinked and the timelines sync up perfectly. On the screen a Gaster appeared.

"It worked!" Both of them throw their hands up in victory... They assigned a number to make a difference between each other. The 1 was just a tad bit more assertive, while 2 was a tad bit more of a follower. It was only a shade of difference when everything else was exactly the same...but it lead to some of the biggest difference down the road. The butterfly effect in full show.

Weeks passed by and it worked perfectly, 1 would take charge and 2 would fall back to follow. And... it felt nice to have someone who could understand him on a level not even his friends could. Have someone who would have a nostalgic moment together with him... It felt less lonely. Like being part of something familiar and bigger. Asgore was there and his own followers were there as well but...they had their own hands full. Their own families they returned to after the work day... They shouldnt waste time on a old skeleton lost in the number world. That little timeline chat project was kept a secret between the skeletons.

They both were a lot happier in their lives now. It wasnt all due the extra naps.

The two of them... It felt like they had once more a family. A long lost skeleton brother their mom forgot to tell them about. It was nice even if they just sit beside the monitor watching each other in silence eating dinner. His lab space didnt felt empty any longer.

There come a point in their research when both were stuck at the same point. Maybe if they are in the same room they could work it out faster. Meeting a friend that thinks like you is always fascinating. They even joked it will be a family reunion. Both of them wanted to give bone crushing hug to the other.

And the pranks they could pull off. It made them jump giggly and undignified in place, as if they were young and clueless once more.

Both build a new machine to allow crossing between the timelines.

A new idea was born, they didnt have to wait for 7 souls they could wait for only 4 on each side. Then move from one side to the other to break the barrier in both timelines. That was their inspiration to give their all into the project, they had each four souls by this point, they could be already set free. The fourth soul collected only days before this realisation was born.

Both imagined the king's face when they come up to him and tell him how they are ready to break the barrier. The surprise and joy he _goatta_ feel was worth keeping it a secret till the moment they have completed everything. Make sure nothing goes off the rails.

Gaster 1 took charge, and he will travel to 2 universe first. Gaster 2 was fine with it and followed the lead preparing to have a skeletal guest. And if someone walked on him he would hide him a closet for all the skeleton in a closet puns. It would drive him and the other mad how inpopirate that would be...But those what ifs that kept the grin on his face unflattering.

Preparation were done over the curse of the next several days. They were ready and 1 stepped in the machine.

They will be free.

They gonna meet.

They are close as family already.

Gaster 1 was being transferred in the right universe, 2 could see him inside the machine. Just some more and his magical structure would have stabilized, but...

The but is what changes everything.

A moment a unruly feeling in your guts.

Something wasnt right, 1 looked as if he was falling apart, the stability procent was starting to drop. Silently screaming in horror at the idea to lose his family once more... The fields covered in dust a vivid picture in his mind. The dust starting to getting loose of 1 face flying around inside the machine. The soul increasingly being pulled apart. Both universes having their grip on the soul dragging it in both directions that were yet one place. The contradicting pressure would kill 1.

It was that moment 2 took charge and made a decision. Never again... never again he would be as helpless like in that first strike, far back in a life with sunrises and sunsets. He grabbed a wrench and forced open the machine. Dust flu in 2 face, blinding him, the wrench fall to the ground and 2 reached with both his hands into the machine. Feeling bones under his fingers he gripped on them and pulled. Keeping his eyes firmly closed.

The 2's hands started to dust as well, as he was trying to keep the falling body in one piece. Feeling the touch of both timelines assaulting his palms. Seeing his strength alone will not be enough, the pain in his hands ignored in favour of a Gaster blaster appearing and turning it big maw to the power generator of the machine.

Gaster 1 was losing more and more mass of his magical body, the soul torn in half barely connected into one by a thread. Or was it already broken? 2 didnt dare to open his eyes, focusing on sensing the magic alone. The Gaster blaster blasted the energy source to smithereens. A explosion accompanying the act and they were catapulted out the machine. Gaster 2 was knocked out as he hit the ground hard, before he even realized what he was desperately holding in his arms. Shielding from hitting the floor directly.

Gaster finally opened his eyes, he felt lighter, the sensation of the bed under his bone was a familiar one... Often it meant something didnt go as planned...now if just the headache would stop so he could access his memories. His eyes opened, it was dimly lit. Small blessings. First check was the well being of his hands. The hands which were bandaged and so he started to remove them. Circular holes were in both of his hands, and it hurt. He moved each finger, feeling a wave of relief as every finger moved.

He eyed the holes and moved the tip of his bony finger to the rim to touch it.

"dont touch them we already did check. they are stable." Said a voice to his right. He turned his head and was faced with his childhood face and grin. He blinked rubbing his eye sockets. That motion hurt as well.

"You arent imaging it Gaster. Gaster really got Gasters childhood round face." Said a voice to his left. He turned around and was faced with a basically mini him staring him in the face. "Those are mine glasses." He pointed to the small skeleton, who was wearing his glasses, the pair he wore as he was writing something down. And attempting to made it readable to his followers.

"We were out for 2 hours and you were for 5 hours." The glass wearing mini him told him, pushing the glasses up with a magic hand as he looked over what he wrote down. The mini him wore one of his sweaters which hang loosely of his mini frame. He looked over to the kid Gaster who had a shirt, it hung off him as well making him look round. A tug of a smile came to him, cloths always did that to him when he was a kid, only when he grow into a teen cloths stopped being baggy and he found more form fitting outfits...

"we took the time to name our self." Spoke the other, the kid him. "i am gaster 1.1 and he is gaster 1.2 and you already know you are 2." Gaster 2 thought for a moment and nodded. That works perfectly fine for him, for their needs right now.

"What exactly happened to lead to... 1.1 and 1.2?" 2 asked aloud as he slowly sat up, he felt dizzy his head kept on hurting a lot.

"The cracks got quite bigger, there was a moment we thougth it was beyond saving. Luckily you didnt give up!" Said 1.2, not exactly answering his question, but answering his inner trouble. He was quite cheerful. The other one swung around and laid on the bed with his hands under his head. "i think and you would think the same, the machine torn me apart in two. because both universe's got conffused where i belong trying to pull me in and destroy me like an invading virus at the same time. my left side was a bit longer in the steam causing me 1.1 to have a weaker construction. or we just got ripped unevenly... we will have to perform a lot of tests to understand this new state."

"Of course we were thinking that if that was the case, we shouldnt be able to be here. If the universe was so determined to think of us as invaders, for our crossing it should have dusted us. But we both are stable." The mini him 1.2 gaster spoke taking his glasses off.

The oldest looking Gaster looked at his hands and all three of them nodded. But only he spoke. "You both existence must have been mixed with the dust and magic I lost while I reached in. The holes in my hands are there and not recovered with the recovering of my hp because the mass of those bones is no longer inside me but... With you two, masking you to appear as me from this universe. Serving as anchors to this place... but then..."

"We may never be able to return."

"unless we figure a way to turn us back and return the anchoring magic back to you."

"Fascinating." All three Gasters spoke.

The two smaller ones helped the taller Gaster to stand up and all three of them moved to one of the labs. Of course it was then they run into their followers who were not pleased that they wanted to do tests so soon after they had an explosion in their face. They were shooed back to bed for the rest of the day and night.

* * *

"So Sans and Papyrus are literally two halfs of the same coin?" Frisk concluded, the wind blowing softly and the ant that found the sweet flowers on the grave was back with friends. Gaster nodded, his smile slowly fall as he remembered what part of the story was coming next.

Frisk waited, and he stayed silent.

A small bird landed on the path and tilted it head towards them before chipping and flying away, onwards.

"What happened next?"Frisk finally asked.

"You realize they didnt return home..." Gaster spoke tilting his head towards the child beside him.

"Yeah... you all didnt manage to find a way to turn them back either or?" Gaster sighed moving his hand in a circle motion.

"...There was more... "

Frisk shifted and hugged the human monster. A tingle of determination awoke in his chest. Like a gently, yet annoying probing to continue, even if his throat started to feel dry and the words felt like clumps not wanting to let even air go pass them.

Laying one hand on the soft hair he started petting and returned to the story he started. He was determined to finish telling it.

* * *

The followers accepted the plea to not question us as things were time sensitive. They got us all a fresh meal to help our recovery and some of the Asgore tea Gaster had stashed.

They as well helped by bringing materials to us, all it had to be done for it was to promise that in a few days they will get an explanation. They had full trust in Gaster. They would blindly follow him off a cliff if he said he needed them to do it for someone's well being.

The tests showed some unsettling results, they really were on a time limit. The longer their souls stay separated the sooner it will start to heal. Instead of two halfs that can be glued together there would be two souls which cannot be joined together without causing severe damage to both of them.

What 2 didnt know at that moment was that 1.1 and 1.2 hid a portion of the unsettling results from him. One that would show how bad things truly were for the two minds. Even when 2 found out he couldnt bring himself to be angry at them for it... He would have done the same, to protect his family from unneeded pain in face of uncertainty.

Either way, he started to draw plans, the machine was easily enough rebuild in just a matter of a few days. The real problem was that they couldnt find their home any longer. When they started it zeroed in on a befitting gaster, his soul wavelength was the anchor for communication. The machine was supposed to imitate that wavelength so a return trip would be easy, like having a bridge open on both sides.

Sadly it appeared to save the Gaster in the machine, 2 had forcefully shut the door on that side of the bridge with his gaster blaster.

That timeline had no Gaster in it any longer to lock onto, so he started with the second soul he knew the best, Asgore. That was a bad idea, they got strange and twisted timelines, some which didnt even appear like anything their underground was. It was the tenth day from the accident and they knew they had three more days. Before they couldnt be put back together.

Even if they couldnt find their home timeline, yet. There was hope that trying to zero in on different souls would do the trick, maybe the human souls they had on hand. So the more pressing problem was from two to one. And they were not geniuses for nothing, they did figure a way to put them back together while they were searching for the home. They could build a machine to do it, powered with raw magic it would fix them.

They had to build it from scratch.

They had to build it without any sleep.

Like that they would be done in five days, if they skipped testing it.

The three of them stared at the plans they just got done. The blueprints that would transfer their souls into one vessel, took quite a few days to finalize and double check all done in the time they were looking for the home. Of course he wasnt losing hope just yet. Maybe with the followers they could cut the time further down. So they informed them of their dilemma and the need of extra hands. Asked them to help. They all were ready to drop their own projects to help him.

He couldnt express how happy their unquestioned support was making him how much it was meaning to them. Gaster 1.2 could, he cried in happiness, giving hugs out. So they set out to beat time itself. To make the impossible deadline.

Two days passed, 62% of it was done. One day left they could maybe make it, if he just push a bit harder. It wasnt that unusual for the teams in the labs to all but vanish from the underground for several weeks when they were doing delicate or big work, or even detailed manistence. No one from the outside questioned why they were missing.

Gaster 2 was determined, he wouldnt disappoint himself, he would save that monster that felt like family to him. He would not stop, he would give his all for this. Focused as he was on smelting he was way too easy of a target for the kidnapping that followed.

* * *

"Kidnapping?" Frisk looked up. The kid someone ended up on Gaster lap as the afternoon sun was warming them up.

"Yes. Well it was more of a Gasnapping." He chuckled slightly having his arms wrapped around to secure the kid in his lap. The determination in his chest was pulsing with nostalgia.

"It was the official start of me being a father. " The monster looked the white gravestones up and down. "But I had quite a few things to learn before I became actually a good father to them..."

"Luckily. Better late than never..." Frisk responded looking from Gaster to the graves for the first time. Actually studying the tombstone and engravings. Gaster let the kid take it in. Closure. After some more time he continued the story from where he stopped. This time Frisk didnt look at him but kept watching the grave. He only knew Frisk kept on listening because of how his hand was gripped and giving a comforting squeeze on the right parts.

* * *

One blink later Gaster wasnt in his lab, instead he was in his favorite spot in the underground surrounded by tall echo flowers. The ones where he could lay between them and be nearly unnoticeable, while having a sweet nap. Bad idea to think of naps, as the word triggered a overflowing sensation of tiredness he had to willfully push out his mind.

"What?" Gaster 2 spoke disoriented slightly and not understanding why was he not left to keep working. He had to get back. Any wasted second could cause them to fail.

"was me." Gaster noticed the kid him giving him a goofy grin, one that was betraying worry.

"We have to get back, it really isnt nice of you to pull a prank on us now that we are deep in work Gaster!" The mini him scolded the kid him. He was about to return when he stopped hearing the voice clearly stating.

"we are going to take a nice relaxing nap for the rest of the day." Gaster 1.1 yawned and plopped down on the ground. Of course 1.2 let out a frustrated groan before gripping on the other hand and trying to pull him up. "Stop being a lazy bag of bones! We have to be determined! "

"nah, I am bone tired."Gaster 1.1 spoke between yawns causing the other half to groan in annoyance at the wrong time to tell jokes. "We just have to push a bit harder and we going to make it. We cannot lose hope just yet." Gaster 1.2 enthusiastically explained, just listening to him filled one with inspiration. Therefore the other voice that followed it with a response stood that much more in contrast.

"neither of you noticed." The accusatory tone would freeze over any other monster exposed to it but the two of them. Even when the echo flowers around them started to repeat it. As a choir of shadows, speaking out their crimes.

"the small one fainted from overworking. " 1.1 spoke in the low tone.

"Is he fine?" Both other Gaster jumped eyes flashing in worry.

"yeah, i carried him to a bed to rest. they all were already taking shifts because they were worried about us. asking them to help, made them happy but they cant overwork themself like we can...everyone has their limits. " The way he eyed the other two gaster was carrying a seriousness in it. There was a tinge of power and warning, that the whole Gaster didnt realize he had it in him. Did he look like that in times of crisis, around Asgore? A memory of youth came to his mind, Asgore voice coming to him in a fleeting moment.

 _...My friend you can be a truly scary monster at times..._

"...We will take over. They should rest. There is still hope if we organise it well." The mini him started planning, while the kid him closed his eyes.

"nah, gaster. i told them to go home before i took you both here. you both get a horrible tunnel vision when working..." An uncomfortable silence followed them, the echo flowers not even repeating the last words as if the surrounding itself was waiting for something unsaid to pass. The absence of echoes was louder then the whispers of the flowers ever could be.

The moment broke and gaster 2 pushed his glasses up, about to return to work, even if he had to do it alone.

Then so be it.

He was not giving up on him. His magic collected ready to get him back to the lab when instead he turned blue and was raised in the air.

"Hey!" Was his eloquent worded complain about the situation.

"i did say we ALL gonna nap... "

"Gaster, put Gaster down. This is ridiculous. We can still make it, even if it just the 3 of us putting our all." The mini Gaster explained, while the kid looking Gaster closed his eyes and sighed. His shoulders slumping.

"Put me down, this doesnt even tickle my funny bone." Gaster 2 spoke with barely a hint of laugh.

"but i guess i need more votes on that." With those words spoken the position of the blue changed shifting to focus from holding him up in the air to pulling on Gaster 2 shirt. At that moment the whole Gaster was not paying attention to the signs his soul and body were telling him. For his family he would do everything. Willing all his troubles out his mind.

The shirt pulled up and off him, the pair of glasses falling on the wet ground with a soft tud, the gently cold of the surroundings chilling the bones. The blue was undone allowing the Gaster to land on his feet, which was followed by the gasp of Gaster 1.2.

"You! WHY?! Why didnt you say anything?!" Gaster 1.2 demanded to know. The other half was smiling knowing he won. But what was there to say when they all knew each other down to the bone. Heh.

The echo flowers started to repeat the why, again and again.

"I am fine."

 _why_

 _i am fine_

"huh? so thats how i sound, when i say that."

"This is not a joke! You ribcage started to melt around the edges!" The mini Gaster walked up and started to poke the bone in question causing the taller Gaster to flinch from the sudden pain he couldnt manage to ignore. "You were... you were..." Gaster 1.2 looked lost on words, nearly as if he was betrayed.

"too determined. that what you were trying to say." Finished the 1.1 as he once more lay on the ground hands under his skull and talking to the ceiling.

"we know what determination can do to a monster. "

There was a silence once more, as the situation and it burden started to settle on their souls.

"I am fine."

"Yes, you are now." The cheerful grin on the small skeleton, his mini Gaster face confused the other two. "We are staying with you. And from now on I am taking care of you... and you." He declared pointing the bony finger first at him and then at the skeleton laying on the ground. Who raised his head a bit conffused, at the other skeleton declaration.

"eh?.. me too? why?"

"Because you are too lazy for your own good. And he is putting his well being behind everything else. So you boths well being will be on top of my priority list. Discussion ended." Gaster 1.2 made a heroic pose at that moment.

"you are looking so cool now." Gaster 1.1 grinned to the other dementor.

"Of course I do. I got all the greatness from the two of us. And as it comes in a smaller package its more concentrated. " Pleased that at least one was getting it, Gaster 1.2 nodded determinedly and pulled Gaster 2 to sit down. Which didnt happen as he pulled his hand away and started to half speak in hands pointing and indicating his frustration. Pleading and shouting half form syllables.

No.

They couldnt give up.

They were so close.

With the same tempo they could get to 93%

If they pushed alone just some more on top of taking all work from the followers hands they could finish the 7% in time as well.

So close.

They couldnt just leave their friends and family, their home, their world behind just because he worked a bit harder, and didnt take any breaks in the last two weeks. Just because of his limits...

No.

He couldnt let them give up on everything they were, just so he doesnt get a bit hurt, a tad strained.

"we arent fixing it if it means dusting you."

It wouldnt dust him.

"fine melt, same thing. you die. "

"Would you want to watch us die so we could save you from something that is just different?" Pointed the Gaster 1.2 as he hugged himself eyes big and shadows of past hunting them all. Their past was near identical...

...No.

"I wouldnt want that...but... sacrificing youself just to protect me... saying you would stay with me when we still could find your world... even if you two would be two instead of one..."

"We wouldnt fit in our timeline any longer. You know anchor, even if we can stay in it, we wouldnt be Gaster any longer. Just two skeletons that appeared out of nowhere..."

"so why not stay with you?" Finished Gaster 1.1 and as he knew what the other was thinking he cut the doubt before it even was voiced. "and you were a family to us even before we decided to come and visit you. we always yearned to not be alone...so just this one time it shall be fine to be selfish."

That did it, it broke the last bit of determination to keep on going. Just once he was allowed to choose the selfish option. The option neither wanted to admit till it was voiced. He didnt want them to leave, they didnt want to leave him. Finally all three of them sat down between the echo flowers listening to the whispers. _Just this one time_ the flowers soothingly told them... _were a family..._

They napped, when they woke up they felt terrible hungry. When was the last time they payed attention to what they were eating? Of course the one who proclaimed that he will watch over them, was the one who demanded to stop being lazy and move to a restaurant. The one in Snowdin would be perfect.

One blink later they discovered the bar being in the dark, apparently it was night time. They slept the day away.

Gaster 2 moved to the back room, some rampaging and some really loudly fire cracking later the three skeletons were sitting around one table. A half asleep fire bartender in underwear dropped food in front of them. "Looking hot there, my friend." Gaster 2 spoke and winked, the result was over dose of ketchup on the plate with the french fries. Where the overdose was a understatement the whole bottle was emptied.

"Well someone is steaming." The kid gaster couldnt hold it in as he chuckled adding. "dont start stroking the fire, you may burn."

"Give me a bone here."

"shouldnt you give your bone to the hottest monster in the room."

The two were about to keep going, but a audible groan stopped them. That reaction was extremely amusing to the other two. Even more than the crackling of the flames.

"Oh my! Both of you stop. This is not the time for puns. I am sorry for their behaviour."

The bartender shook his head and went to sleep. They eat in silence, simply being in each other presence. It felt good, Gaster 2 could feel how well the food was doing for his hp. He would recover swiftly.

Once they were done, and to his surprise Gaster 1.2 didnt touch the greasy food while Gaster 1.1 was leaking the plate of the extra ketchup only so they both could enjoy the groans the other was producing at witnessing it.

"Fine, fine! I give up. Next you will start drinking that stuff from the bottle to annoy me." Gaster 1.2 grumbled.

"You shouldnt have said that." Gaster 2 pushed his glasses up a mischievous smile on his face.

"you are the coolest. i am doing that forever now. its a oath." The other half even stood up to make a proper oath on his soul, it was followed by a loud sound of a skull colliding with the table.

"Topic change. Names." The Gaster 1.2 mumbled in the table. And all of them stopped the joking for now. He had a point if they were to stay with him it would be too confusing for monsters to call them all Gaster. As well, it would be wise to pick a name before going to explain the happenings of the last several weeks... half a year nearly to Asgore... neither wanted to end up being named by their king. They loved the goat, and would follow him wherever but neither would allow him to name their children...

Children...

"What are we?" He asked suddenly.

"We are family, we decided on that one. Want to hear the echo flowers remind you of it?" Gaster 1.2 raised his head from the table finally and leaned it on his palms, looking curiously at the tall monster in front of him.

"No what kind of family are we? What is our relation?"

When gaster 2 spoke the two shorter monsters looked at each other. There was a long moment where neither break eye contact. "bro?"

"Works for me. We two are brothers." He explained to the tall monster.

"this is so cool i always wanted a brother."

"I know that, nhyehehe. I am the great Gast-... yeah name issue."

"Its my timeline so I get to keep Gaster, so you two any names you fancy? Bopen is a good skeleton name. Or Jack?" He offered the two halves of himself knowing those names just didnt hit the spot yet.

"No... How about Wing Dings? We could break the name and each use a half of it?"

"nah bro. WingDings is font name, we dont have it any longer."

"Well that what I meant brother dearest. Our fonts broke apart to become simpler...Would you say my font looks like Ding or Wing?"

It didnt look like either actually. After a bit of debating the three concluded that the fonts looked like Sans and Papyrus and that would with Gaster becoming their shared family name. It felt a bit on the head but most monster referred to dr. Gaster by Gaster anyway. So it would work out.

"So you two are my brothers."

"nah I dont think it would work, it will cause monster to ask for explanations where we popped from." Sans declared playing with his fork slightly eyeing the tall monster. He was thinking, Gaster would even say scheming.

"I suppose you have a better idea?" He bite the hook, line and sinker.

"i always wanted to have kids. how about it father?"

"Oh that would work out fabulous as well! He can teach us everything he knows as well! Like any dad would to his skeleton kids!" Papyrus happily clapped in excitement, he always wanted to have kids as well, now a version of him was becoming a dad but and that was fine. Each got a role to fit in. He will make the best son ever... that is until he realised what he said.

The same moment Sans and Gaster realised what he said as well. They were intelligent monster and such a slip up, caused gears to turn.

"Sans, Papyrus. Why would I have to ever teach you anything when you both know everything I do already?" Gaster leaned closer to the two skeletons in front of him eyes narrowing in demand and warning. The lights vanishing as the aura of magic pulsed.

"Huh.. you got the dad voice already done..." Papyrus chuckled weakly, half sweating, attempting to salvage his mistake.

"bro, its fine." Sans placed a hand on Papyrus shoulder and the skeleton sighed. "we would have to tell him sometime anyway..."

"Tell me what?"

Sans and Papyrus explained a fact about their split. It was more then just magic, soul and personality being split. Their talents did as well. Papyrus couldnt blink, but Sans couldnt summon non harmful attacks. But that was just the first things the test showed. The knowledge and memories were split.

"So one remembers my first bone attack and the other the time I was trained to a boneless mess?" Gaster urged them on. It wasnt like that.

The split actually spit their every memory more or less unevenly. Some would only remember the emotion and intonation of the voice. While the other would the words or visual setting. One would have the people, the other would remember the responses they gave but not the other side of conversation.

"All our memories are broken dad... I am sorry."

" we already starting to forget them."

"The mind would never keep holding on broken memories,or more correctly half forgoten memories from its perspective. It would clean them out to make room for the new ones. Intact ones... " Papy finished and promoted Gaster to ask.

"... the memories you Sans and Pappy are receiving now ... are they intact?"

"Not quite, but! Hear me out! They dont look so broken, the test we did 2 days ago shows that with our souls healed the memories will start to be recorded properly." Papyrus reached out and gave the first son father hug out. It effectively melted any anger for being kept in the dark on how more serious it was.

"so ... we dont know how long will take but at one moment our minds will be blank like a babies and then we will be able to learn and remember staff how it is supposed to be. like a hard reset."

"...Great I ended up with two literal children at my hands. Fine as your father I will raise you both as best as I can do."

"blink hug." Was spoken out aloud and Gaster and papyrus fall from the bench they were on as Sans blinked into a tackle hug on top of them. Swiftly processing to fall asleep on the pile of bones under him. Causing both Gaster and Papyrus to groan.

* * *

"Yes, we weighted our option and decide to be father and sons." Gaster spoke.

"You are a strange family." Frisk spoke and Gaster shrugged.

"You should have seen Asgore face when I walked in his garden for tea. Reminded him how he told me I was married to my work and now my wife gave birth to children. Asking him if he could tell me any tips on being a dad, so I dont fail on my kids upbringing." Gaster grinned, the king stared at him and questioned if he was asking for someone else.

"The punchline then run in and tackled me promptly over the table and Asgore as quick as he could be moved to grab me and my attackers. He stared at 3 skeletons in his arms. I told him I adopted them, as I introduced them. Of course he didnt believe that a second."

"Was he happy?" Frisk asked.

"He was happy for me. It was still hard for him but it cheered him up to have more victims for his spoiling." Gaster explained, watching as the sun was setting. The shadows were growing big and omnivorous.

"You see... for several weeks that followed with each day they would lose a bit more of their mind, They would forget just a bit more. It slowly was getting worse. I watched the greatest mind I know fall apart. Seeing frustration on their features when they forgot the simple task to perform, when they stopped being able to do math like they used too. Feeling everything they were up to that point being taken away from them. The fear that the desperation would make them fall down was never leaving me in those last days.

I still remember vividly the last time they fall asleep knowing who I was and the morning after..."

* * *

"No, no... I was suppose to ... something!" Papyrus whimpered holding his skull. He went to curl on himself. It was such a simple thing he forgot how to do. He knew he knew it before, which caused the instinctual fear.

"Hey.. Pa...Pap?... bro. Its okay. I am here." Sans was frowning. They kept forgetting their names by now. The only fact that stuck was that they were bros. Gaster pulled a book, and started reading it. It was a children book they found in the dump. It was a present from Sans to him for their ten day family anniversary. To keep the joke going he read it to them as a bedtime story. It was a surprise to them both when their Pappy fall asleep like a stone during it.

It became an instant tradition. A sure way to calm and relaxed Papyrus. Even now, it worked. The small skeleton unwind... His eyes sleepy looked at them both. Sans who was hugging him and then at Gaster. "...thanks..." His eyes looked conffused, yet filled with comfort. "who you?"

Even the font of Papyrus was disordered, as if the soul itself wasnt sure what it was again. Gaster braced himself, holding himself away from having his voice shake as he said.

"I am your father, you are my children, which makes the both of you brothers. " He repeated

Papyrus nodded, closed his eyes. Sans let go of him and looked over to him. "Who are... who?" His eyes narrowed.

"I am your father..."

"WHO!" Sans demanded raising his voice into that of a chilling echo. Pappy didnt even stir.

"I am Gaster." He changed his answer, the answer Sans was demanding he keeps repeating, hoping it would stick better like that. Now... Now gaster was tired watching the deterioration of a brilliant mind. It made him aware his own being is so much depending on his mind. Without the brilliance of it he ... he loses his sense of self. Asgore slowly entered the room, his friend was there the last two weeks when things started to get much harder. The support was precious to him and both of the kids. Even with their minds slipping they looked up at Asgore in the same adoring way he would when he felt like he was being saved by the king.

Some things went deeper than even their memories did.

"Are you holding up Gaster?" Asgore whispered placing a warm cup of tea on the bedside table.

"i am gaster." Sans spoke up, was it again a burst of memories he was managing to grab on? Or did he simply repeat the sound? Gaster couldnt tell any longer. He reached out and Sans allowed to be cradled.

"N... was." Sans whispered starting to shiver as his body felt like on fire.

"Yes, you were once Gaster. I am Gaster. You were once me." Gaster whispered words falling him and relying on his hands to convey all he was intending to say. The hand done speaking for him moved to raise Sans chin up. Meeting the pleading and scared eyes. Gaster watched the last flicker of recognition slip away. He moved his hand over the eye sockets. He couldnt look at them any longer. Not when they were so broken and empty.

Blank.

"Sleep." He said, with a voice that cracked from emotion. And Sans did, falling asleep. Gaster felt himself being raised and then gently placed beside Papyrus. A blanket quickly followed.

"Its fine, it will be fine." Asgore whispered and Gaster held both of the sleeping kids close to himself.

"I am fine."

A furry finger touched his cheek forcing him to look at his king.

"You are crying." Asgore spoke with such a warm smile it made the falling tears flow even worse. "Oh, oh I am so sorry didnt mean to make it worse..."

"No... you didnt.. I..." Gaster hiccupped and Asgore heavy hand was resting on his skull serving as an anchor and source of comfort.

"You what?" The king gently urged.

"I am scared."

"Of what? They souls healed... with it their minds will be fine as well soon..." Asgore repeated the words Gaster and his kids told him when they explained what was happening to them. He found at the beginning he was being told those words as a comfort and now he was repeating them back to comfort his friend.

"..of so much... What if I was wrong if they do not wake up... what if this happens to me?... I cant lose my mind like this... I wouldnt be able to take it... I ... I am needed for the souls, for the core, I cant leave this two alone... I cannot risk to forget even the simplest formula. It may kill everyone... I cannot... I cannot be alone again." He will start recording all his projects down. He was terrified of the loss. It hurt so much being forgoten, as he couldnt stop it. Only helplessly be there and give comfort out.

"Shhh, shhh." Asgore wrapped his hands around his friend. "You arent going to be alone, your kids will wake up. And I am there for arent going to leave anyone." Gaster all but drunk the warmth of the fur and the flames of the boss monster soul magic.

"You cant, you... are king. All monsters need you."

"Yes, and one of those monsters that need me is my best friend. Come drink a bit of tea, you should try to rest yourself. I will keep an eye on you all..."

"No, I..."

"I am ordering you as my royal scientist, to sleep." Asgore spoke in his official king voice causing gaster to crack a smile, shifting slowly his hand out so he could wipe the tears away and accept the tea.

Gaster woke up to movement, the blanket shifted uncovering him some more. Opening his eyes he saw an awake Papyrus. The child screamed and jumped away from him. Sans groaned and cuddled more into Gaster side.

"Its fine, I am your father Pappy. You remember it?" The blank stare he received was confirming his fears. Speech was forgotten as well. He didnt understood him, and didnt know anything. Gaster raised his hand and before papyrus could have started to run. He grabbed him with blue. Then Gaster watched as Pap calmed down making sounds. He looked happy, as his soul was being gently held. Nothing else could showcase his intention as well as magic in direct contact with the soul.

Sans yawned eyes shining up in absolute wonder and curiosity. He started to poke everything. From Gaster, himself, Pappy. Till the snoring king on the chair beside the bed.

They were able to learn.

They were able to remember from that moment on.

They had some habits that were left over from all the weeks spend together.

They were growing up.

Once they were old enough, and asked where their mom was Gaster explained who they really were.

He awaited hate.

They were relieved.

Sometimes, just sometimes they would sense that they are one monster, a dream of a home they left. A shadow of another monster that was them. They believed it was just them idolizing him and making stuff up. They were so happy to know it was actually something real.

* * *

"... Both Gasters had similar fates." Frisk concluded and gaster raised his eyebrow the darkness was now chilling around them, being broken up by a occasional candle light and lamp post.

"Well both of you, lost yourself due an accident, forgot because of it who you were and only receives a portion back, growing up anew." Frisk counted off on their fingers. Gaster hummed rubbing his chin.

"Fascinating you are right, maybe something like this was indeed our fate. some elements of them did repeat."

Gaster concluded, looking up at the slowly blinking stars. Frisk stood up from his lap. Silently the kid walked up to the two gravestones and touched them.

Gaster waited.

Frisk let out a heavy sigh out.

Gaster tilted his head.

"Ok." Frisk said not turning away from the graves just yet.

"You wish to go home?"

"Yeah... could you go warm up the car? I will be right there." Frisk said, and Gaster smiled. He stood up, and walked away from the human. He wasnt sure what Frisk was thinking. If his story about himself and Sans and Papyrus helped, or was nothing more than a distraction. Maybe if he just were silent Frisk determination would have pushed the kid to do it anyway.

Gaster walked up the the car.

The wind blowed in his face, fingers touched his cheeks. He noticed half dried tears.

Even if it were useless or not... he liked to share it with the kid. Opening the car door he stopped. A sound of a small meow reached his ears. The determination inside his soul pounded, but Gaster didnt need it. Nostalgic as he was he stood up followed the sound and returned back in car waiting.

When finally Frisk returned the kid looked relaxed as a weight was finally dropped. Or at least one of the heavy ones.

"huh...what is that on your lap?" Frisk pointed to the bundle that was moving.

"Two kittens abandoned in a trash can."

* * *

"Their names are G11 and G12! " Frisk declared to Toriel as she asked about the kittens in their arms.

Sans frowned, looking from the kid and then up at Gaster who had a Papyrus big grin. "i feel there is a inside joke i am suppose to know..." Sans commented and Frisk beamed.

"Maybe, if there are any other pair of kids to be named we may have run out of names! And then Asgore gonna name them!"

Gaster broke into a fit of laughter, unable to contain anything, Papyrus joined in laughing like a maniac as he wasnt to be out done in a laughing competition!

It was a interesting night and the time that followed.

But that is a story for another time.

The End.


End file.
